Freedom House: Corruption risks remain in Armenia

ArmInfo.The Freedom House "Freedom in the World 2025" report does not present the topic of corruption in Armenia as a separate chapter, but it systematically touches on various areas of public administration, the judicial  system, electoral processes, and human rights. This was stated in a  report received by ArmInfo from the "AntiCor" platform.

It is noted that a comprehensive analysis of the report shows that,  despite the declared anti-corruption policy, corruption risks persist  and, in some areas, are even worsening.

"Impunity for High-Level Corruption and Selective Justice: Freedom  House documents that: high-ranking officials of the ruling party are  rarely subject to meaningful investigation, even in cases where there  are clear indications of abuse of office; successful convictions in  high-level corruption cases remain the exception, not the rule,"  Freedom House analysts note.

The report presents the resignation of Armenian Economy Minister  Vahan Kerobyan in 2024 on charges of abuse of office not as a  systemic turning point, but as an isolated incident that did not lead  to a sectoral purge or institutional consequences.

The report specifically emphasizes that the anti-corruption system  itself has become a source of corruption risks.

Media investigations in 2023-2024 revealed serious risks in the asset  declarations and biographical data of Anti-Corruption Court judges,  and these findings did not lead to a prompt and public legal  response.

Furthermore, the resignation of Anti-Corruption Committee Chairman  Sasun Khachatryan at the request of the Prime Minister and the  nomination of only one candidate for his position are assessed in the  report as a violation of the principles of competitive and  independent appointment. It is also noted that the National Assembly  of Armenia failed to staff the Corruption Prevention Committee in a  timely manner, and a permanent chairperson was not appointed until  2024, weakening the institution's ability to function.

Freedom House describes Armenia's judicial system as a center of  political influence and vulnerable to corruption.

"Disciplinary proceedings against judges, particularly in politically  sensitive cases, are perceived as an instrument of pressure and  control; special judicial appointment procedures, bypassing mandatory  training at the Academy of Justice, have been used to infiltrate the  system for politically connected individuals.  This, according to the  report, directly undermines the ability to fairly investigate  corruption cases," the report continues.

The report, among other things, draws attention to the lack of  transparency in government activities as a significant indicator of  corruption risks.

"Control over public procurement and asset declaration mechanisms  remains weak; journalists' requests for information often go  unanswered, are delayed, or are merely perfunctory. For example, the  government has failed to publish the amounts of compensation provided  for territories transferred to Azerbaijan during the 2024 demarcation  process, raising legitimate concerns about the proportionality of  compensation and abuses," the platform states. Freedom House also  found signs of corruption in electoral and political processes. "The  widespread misuse of administrative resources, particularly in local  elections, remains a chronic problem; overt cases of vote-buying have  declined, but mechanisms for indirectly influencing voters remain;  and journalistic revelations about possible illegal campaign  financing for the ruling party have not been effectively addressed,"  the report notes.

A comparative analysis of Freedom House's 2025 report shows that  corruption in Armenia has transformed, but not disappeared.

"Corruption is no longer manifested solely in overt bribery, but also  in institutional impunity; anti- corruption bodies under political  control; selective justice; and a lack of transparency. The main  message of the report is: without genuine independence of the  judiciary and anti-corruption institutions independent of political  will, the fight against corruption remains a formality," the platform  reports.