Human Rights

The Democracy Development Foundation collaborates extensively with a diverse network of CSOs, coalitions, legal experts, activists, state institutions, and international organizations to enhance legislation concerning the safeguarding of human rights and effective law enforcement. The primary emphasis is on fortifying rights related to the freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, as well as fair trial and torture prevention.

Our activities in this field encompass monitoring, documentation, advocacy, policy development and strategic litigation to guarantee equitable protection for all individuals and to ensure the full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms.

In 2023, DDF supported the monitoring of human rights in penitentiary institutions to ensure that persons in the most vulnerable situation have access to proper safeguards.

Jointly with the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor (HCAV) Office, we advocated for the monitoring of the National Human Rights Protection Strategy and the development of a new strategy. With DDF’s support, HCAV provided legal counseling and court protection to over 1,000 individuals, including military service personnel, convicts, victims of violence, and socially vulnerable individuals. HCAV also pursued strategic litigation to protect the right to be free from torture, the right to life, labor right, and other fundamental human rights. In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights adopted judgments in three strategic cases brought forward by HCAV.

Our collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and civil society organizations is aimed at developing a new strategy for police reforms, the protection of rights of arrested persons, and the prevention of any type of ill-treatment.

DDF’s representative became a member of the police officers’ Attestation Commission and regularly participated in the police attestation exams, thereby ensuring civil oversight of the process.

A key area of human rights protection was the international advocacy for the protection of the rights of persons forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. To this end, numerous reports, statements, applications, and appeals were prepared and sent to the UN’s special bodies, the Council of Europe, the European Union, and foreign governments.

In the course of 2023, representatives of DDF and partner organizations contributed to numerous conferences and discussions on the topics of ceasing the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, immediately executing the decisions of the International Court of Justice, releasing the Armenian prisoners of war, and fortifying the monitoring missions alongside Armenia’s borders.

Reports and individual applications were prepared and sent to various international organizations with respect to Armenophobia in Azerbaijan and the protection of the human rights of persons affected by the armed aggression.

Statements and Reports