To achieve judicial independence and established democracy, to create a reliable system of human rights protection.

Judiciary

Independent judiciary is the most important precondition for a democratic society and democratic state. The court is often the last instance for the r…

Human Rights

The proper protection of human rights and freedoms is a prerequisite for a decent life. Throughout our work, we reveal various systemic problems that …

Elections

Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of a sovereign democratic state. It is a well-known fact that elections have been falsified for many years…

Armenia to introduce liability for hate speech

15/04/2026
New amendments propose introducing civil and administrative liability for hate speech that falls below the threshold of criminal liability but can potentially restrict freedom of expression. Draft legislative amendments introducing civil and administrative liability for hate speech in Armenia aim to strengthen the country’s regulatory framework on harmful speech. However, their broad and imprecise formulation raises serious concerns regarding proportionality, legal certainty, and potential excessive restrictions on freedom of expression.

Pilot training on the Abuse of State Resources

28/02/2025
On 20-21 February, the Law Development and Protection Foundation  (LDPF) and IFES conducted a pilot training on the abuse of state resources. Genya Petrosyan, Natalya Adamyan, Davit Gyurjyan, and Sergey Grigoryan, project experts, were the trainers. The training is developed as informative campaign material for the upcoming elections. It is aimed at strengthening public servants’ understanding of key rules and impartial conduct during elections.

Addressing Abuse of State Resources (ASR)

21/02/2025
The Law Development and Protection Foundation together with the International Foundations for Electoral Systems implements the component of the project“Supporting Safeguards of Democracy in Armenia (SSDA)” with the support of UK International Development from the UK Government. The component focuses on overseeing the abuse of state resources. The LDPF will conduct a Gap Analysis on ASR to assess the current legal and institutional frameworks and propose recommendations for improvement. Additionally, the LDPF will develop and pilot a training module on ASR for State and Local Self-Government officials.

2024 Armenia CSO Meter Country Report

12/02/2025
The "CSO Meter Armenia 2024" report has been published, presenting developments, challenges, and recommendations in various areas of the civic space in 2024. The overall assessment of the civil society environment in Armenia remains unchanged compared to 2023, while priority issues and challenges persist. It should be noted that the draft report was presented to the stakeholders at the end of the year, and the feedback received was incorporated into the final version. This research is part of the “CSO Meter: Empowered for Action” project, implemented with financial support from the European Union, in collaboration with ECNL and partner organizations in the Eastern Partnership countries.

Statement by a Group of Civil Society Organizations on the Strategic Partnership between Armenia and the USA

20/01/2025
On behalf of the undersigned civil society organizations, we welcome the signing of the Strategic Partnership Charter between the Republic of Armenia and the United States of America. This partnership opens new opportunities, not only for Armenia but for the entire region, contributing to regional security, peaceful and dignified coexistence, and economic cooperation. The parties also emphasize the values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the strengthening of which will undoubtedly contribute to Armenia's development, sovereignty, and security.
Media

Petrosyan Discusses Compulsory Enforcement and Challenging Regulatory Acts on "Your Attorney"

Genya Petrosyan, director of the LDPF,  sat down with Narine Solomonyan, host of the “Your Attorney” program to discuss the issues of administrative procedure and compulsory enforcement of judicial acts. The problems discussed were identified as part of the study carried out by the LDPF, which also proposed respective solutions. Petrosyan touched upon the solution to the problem of disproportionality of enforcement costs, the order of the distribution of confiscated funds, confiscation of non-inherited property, the real beneficiary of the debtor, and the protection of the rights of minors in this context
Events

The “Actio Popularis” Institute in Armenia’s Legal System: Legislative Developments

On March 17, 2025, representatives of sectoral civil society organizations, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court of Armenia, and the Ministry of Justice gathered for the presentation of the study titled “The Actio Popularis Institute in Armenia’s Legal System: Challenges and Solutions.”
Statements

The opinion of the LDPF and its partner organizations on the proportionality and suitability of the preventive measure imposed on Davit Minasyan

On 7 April 2026, the appellate complaint lodged against the detention order of Davit Minasyan was accepted for proceedings by the Court of Appeal. The LDPF and its partner organizations submitted their opinion to the Criminal Court of Appeal, according to which the continued application of detention as a preventive measure in respect of Davit Minasyan would not constitute a justified, suitable, or proportionate measure for achieving the aims prescribed by law. In this regard, the organizations consider it necessary to set aside the decision of the lower court imposing such a measure and to prevent further unjustified restrictions on D. Minasyan’s constitutional rights to personal liberty, health, and education.
Legislative proposals

The LDPF and its partner organizations have submitted an opinion on the draft laws ‘On Making Amendments to the Civil Code of the Republic of Armenia and the Code of the Republic of Armenia on Administrative Offenses

The LDPF and partner organizations have submitted an opinion on the draft laws ‘On Making Amendments to the Civil Code of the Republic of Armenia and the Code of the Republic of Armenia on Administrative Offenses.’ According to the submitted opinion, the Drafts, in their current wording, contain serious risks of unlawful restriction of the right to freedom of expression, endangerment of media activities, and arbitrary application of the envisaged legal liability measures. In light of the above, we demand that the Drafts be immediately withdrawn from circulation and revised, ensuring full and inclusive participation of civil society, the media, and other interested stakeholders within the framework of the relevant discussions.
Our mission is to contribute to the establishment of an independent judicial system, development of democratic institutions, protection of human rights through legal research, advocacy and implementation of targeted programs.
PUBLICATIONS
Research
Assigning particular importance to the validity of our positions, we conduct comprehensive research and analysis, revealing issues pertaining to both legislative framework and practice. We study relevant international standards, best practices and develop recommendations taking into consideration the Armenian context.
see more
Manuals
Through manuals we describe main legal regulations in the specific field and clearly state the steps which need to be undertaken.
see more
Policy papers
Through policy papers we address main issues of the particular field, analyze them and draw up recommendations, indicating the addressees of the problems.
see more