CPFE Records 42 Violations of Journalists’ and Media Rights in Second Quarter of 2026

YEREVAN — The second quarter of 2026 was a tense period for journalists and media outlets in Armenia, largely because of the June 7 parliamentary elections, according to the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression (CPFE).

In its quarterly report, the committee noted that Armenia faced both external and internal information-related challenges during the reporting period. CPFE President Ashot Melikyan said dangerous hybrid information campaigns had been conducted.

“Unfortunately, this disinformation was disseminated through a significant segment of Armenia’s information sphere, and the public witnessed an internal information war. According to our observations, the danger posed by false and misleading reports was significantly reduced through fact-checking platforms. Investigative journalists were also very active both inside and outside the country, uncovering important information. In addition, although their number is limited, Armenia has several active and professional media outlets that exposed this disinformation,” Melikyan said.

During the second quarter of 2026, the CPFE recorded 42 violations of the rights of journalists and media outlets. These included one case of physical violence, 30 cases of various forms of pressure, and 11 violations of the right to receive and disseminate information.

“Nearly half of the 42 recorded cases occurred during the campaign preceding the June 7 parliamentary elections or on election day itself. During the same pre-election period, five of the 11 new lawsuits filed against journalists and media outlets in the second quarter were related to campaign issues,” Melikyan said.

Of the 11 new lawsuits filed during the quarter, three were brought by opposition politicians, three by private citizens, one by a representative of the business sector, one by a media outlet, and three by senior government officials.

Addressing violations of the right to receive and disseminate information, Melikyan said 11 such cases were recorded during the second quarter. Although this figure was four higher than in the previous quarter, it was 28 lower than during the same period in 2025.

“Overall, we can say that the situation during these parliamentary elections was calmer than during the previous elections. In the past, election periods were marked by much more serious incidents. Although we recorded one case of physical violence, we did not witness the beatings or violent clashes seen in previous years,” Melikyan added.