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Richard Mills: Recently heard intimations of increased pressure on media and civil society

February 02,2017 08:30

During American Chamber of Commerce of Armenia’s event, U.S. ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills also referred to democratic institutions, human rights, and civil society in Armenia.

In his words, they have witnessed some troubling trends in the areas of human rights and rule of law, “Let me first mention some of Armenia’s very laudable successes in this area.  One of the most impressive is the fact that it retained its status as a Tier I country in the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for the fourth straight year, thanks in large part to its interagency working group, which is a model of cooperation between the government and civil society. But if I may add just one thing:  to ensure that its efforts in preventing trafficking in persons continue to be recognized, I do urge the government to reinstate the Labor Inspectorate without delay.  Without a functioning Labor Inspectorate it is very difficult to track and prevent trafficking in labor and especially child labor.

In another win for civil society, and the Embassy’s efforts, we were able to congratulate the Armenian government for passing just two weeks ago the Law on Public Organizations, which is a complete game changer for NGOs in this country, allowing them to pursue greater financial independence and long-term sustainability. In the area of human rights, we are greatly encouraged by the initiative of the Ministry of Defense to establish a Center for Human Rights and Building Integrity, which the U.S. Embassy has supported, as well as by recent reports that the Ministry has created a hotline for parents to call if they have questions or concerns about their sons’ treatment in the military.”

He added, “With regard to the constitutional referendum of December 2015, the Embassy was deeply concerned about the credible allegations of electoral fraud that came from non-partisan observers, media, and civil society.  Shortly after the referendum took place, we issued a public statement calling on the government to transparently investigate every case where there was credible evidence of fraud, and to prosecute suspected individuals to the fullest extent of the law. Following the referendum, the Embassy put down a clear marker, publicly announcing that we would draw upon the information contained in public reports to determine whether individuals who directly interfered in the integrity of the referendum process would be ineligible to participate in Embassy-sponsored programs or activities.  And although I cannot share information about the individuals who have been affected by this decision out of respect for their privacy I can assure you that we have followed through on our pledge.”

According to Richard Mills for free and fair elections to take place, the government must also create a climate in which media and civil society are free, independent, and unfettered, ”

We have recently heard intimations of increased pressure on media and civil society that seems designed to constrain their freedom of expression and redirect critical editorial views in advance of the parliamentary elections this spring.  If true, this would be very worrying and would further erode Armenia’s standing in reports issued by international organizations on press freedoms worldwide.  We do take the government at its word that it intends to conduct free and fair elections, just as we take the opposition parties and civil society at their word that they intend to play a constructive role in the process, and this is something we’ll be watching closely over the next few months”.

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