RPA Deputy Chairman: the EU’s silence regarding the terror raging in Armenia is a bitter manifestation of realpolitik

ArmInfo.  In August of this year, the European Union published a report entitled "Human Rights and Democracy in the World in 2025," which did not receive sufficient attention in Armenia. This is written in his article by 0deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia Armen Ashotyan.

According to him, the EU’s silence regarding the terror raging in Armenia is a bitter manifestation of realpolitik. For today’s Eurocrats, human rights are not values but a "good" bargaining chip. "At the same time, read the assessments contained in the report, and rest assured that Brussels knows everything perfectly well and, at the right moment, will immediately open the drawers containing compromising materials. Civil society organizations highlighted the ineffectiveness of investigations into police abuses, in particular, the disproportionate use of force, the lack of independence of the judiciary, and the excessive use of detention as a preventive measure in criminal proceedings. In the judicial system, Armenia continues to implement reforms aimed at improving integrity, accountability, and efficiency, but concerns remain regarding the transparency of the process of appointing judges and the practical application of integrity mechanisms. The opposition and some representatives of civil society have brought forward accusations. The instrumentalization of the criminal justice system, which threatens to punish dissent and undermines freedom of expression, including through the potential abuse of criminal law provisions on hooliganism. In the same context, concerns remain regarding strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) targeting journalists, environmental activists, and human rights defenders.  The widespread use of detention remains problematic, as does mortality in correctional facilities, despite legislative amendments aimed at strengthening medical safeguards for persons deprived of their liberty. Concerns also remain regarding the treatment of military personnel and conditions of service, in particular, non-combat-related deaths, although their overall number has decreased. The fifth National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2023-2026) provides a comprehensive framework, but it is not yet sufficiently risk-based and does not provide targeted measures for sectors at high risk of corruption, in particular public procurement," the RPA deputy chairman quoted excerpts from the report.