Latest

Just days before Armenia welcomes the world to COP17, environmental defenders in the country continue to face intimidation, retaliation and abusive litigation. Armenian authorities must ensure a safe environment for meaningful participation by civil society and affected communities, urges Human Rights House Yerevan (HRHY) and Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF). 

As Armenia prepares to host the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Yerevan from 19 to 30 October 2026, Human Rights House Yerevan (HRHY) and Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) call on the Armenian authorities to ensure a safe and enabling environment for environmental human rights defenders, activists, journalists and civil society organisations working to protect the environment and promote public participation in environmental decision-making.

Zhenya Mayilyan is a human rights defender from Armenia. She is the Chairperson of Real, World Real People NGO and the Chairperson of the Board of Human Rights House Yerevan. Since 2017, Mayilyan has worked on stronger human rights protection in her country, with a particular focus on the right to health.

In 2025, Human Rights House Foundation worked closely with the Network of Human Rights Houses and other civil society partners to defend human rights and support perseverance amidst global uncertainty.

At the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) continued its work to amplify the voices of civil society partners from the Network of Human Rights Houses. HRHF addressed issues ranging from reprisals against human rights defenders to crackdowns on civic space, while pushing for accountability for serious human rights violations.

In September 2025, eighteen human rights defenders from ten countries visited Strasbourg as part of the Advocacy Training Programme, organised by Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) and co-funded by the Council of Europe (CoE) and the governments of Norway and Switzerland.
The study visit took place one week before the Autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), giving participants timely insights and practical experience in engaging with CoE stakeholders and amplifying civil society’s voice at the heart of Europe’s system for protecting and promoting human rights.

In a statement at the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation and Human Rights House Yerevan urged the Armenian authorities to investigate attacks against civil society and tackle disproportionate use of force at assemblies, and to address the growing threat of SLAPPs (Strategic lawsuits against public participation).

With human rights crises unfolding in neighbouring Azerbaijan and Georgia, Armenia remains the story of hope for human rights and freedoms in the South Caucasus, but civil society in the country faces many challenges. In this interview, HRHF spoke to Arpy Manusyan, President and Research Director of Socioscope NGO (a member organisation of Human Rights House Yerevan), on issues ranging from the apathy in society following the second Nagorno-Karabakh war, to increasingly disappointing rhetoric surrounding next year’s elections, and what role Armenian civil society can play in reconnecting with the public.

From 9 to 13 June, human rights defenders and civil society actors from across the Network of Human Rights Houses and beyond gathered in Oslo for the 2025 Network meeting. Amidst increasing global challenges faced by civil society, participants came together not only to share but also to build new strategies and forge solidarity.