Statement in response to the report of Ambassador Jan Braathu, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media as delivered by Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan at the 1561st meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council

23 April, 2026

Mr. Chairperson,

The Delegation of Armenia welcomes Representative on Freedom of the Media Ambassador Jan Braathu back to the Permanent Council and expresses its appreciation for the comprehensive and substantive report.

Armenia highly values this mandate, which plays an essential role in assisting participating States to meet their commitments and, in doing so, contributes directly to strengthening security, accountability and democratic resilience across the OSCE area. In this context, we fully share Representative’s assertion that media freedom is not a by-product of democracy, but one of its foundations and a precondition for lasting peace and stability.

Taking note of reference to Armenia in the report, we believe it is important that the assessments take into account the substantial democratic reforms undertaken in Armenia to strengthen the rule of law, independent institutions and the protection of fundamental freedoms. Armenia remains firmly committed to advancing freedom of expression and safeguarding media pluralism in full compliance with its OSCE commitments.

We agree with the Representative’s concerns regarding the systemic risks posed by digital platforms and generative artificial intelligence. We support the call for a human rights-centered approach to platform governance, anchored in transparency, accountability and meaningful oversight. In this regard, we welcome the Representative’s policy manual on Safeguarding Media Freedom in the Age of Big Tech and Artificial Intelligence.

We also echo the Representative’s concern regarding the specific vulnerabilities of women journalists, who are disproportionately exposed to hate speech, gender-based abuse and coordinated online harassment campaigns.

We strongly believe that the Representative is uniquely positioned to exercise an early warning function by monitoring, identifying, and reporting on instances of state sponsored incitement to hatred, disinformation and hostile propaganda that may fuel violence within and among the societies. Timely attention to such patterns can contribute not only to the protection of journalists and media pluralism, but also to broader conflict prevention across the OSCE area.

Mr. Chairperson,

Like many democracies, Armenia is also facing a significant wave of hybrid threats, including disinformation, information manipulation and foreign interference, aimed at undermining democratic institutions, public trust and societal resilience. These are not random acts of disruption, but targeted, systematic and hostile campaigns. We fully acknowledge that such malign efforts will only intensify as Armenia heads towards parliamentary elections in two months.

We have prioritized consolidating national resilience against these threats. We believe that effective responses to them must reinforce, not restrict public engagement with media within the information ecosystem.

Strengthening independent journalism, media literacy and institutional transparency remains the most sustainable response to disinformation and foreign information manipulation.

With this in mind, Armenia has recently joined the Consultative Committee of States of the International Partnership for Information and Democracy, as well as the International Fund for Public Interest Media. We have started with the Council of Europe a project on Promoting Freedom of Expression, Media and Access to Information in Armenia. These initiatives aim at enhancing international cooperation in this field, fostering the legal framework and the capacity of institutions responsible for safeguarding media freedom.

Furthermore, Armenia welcomed the decision taken this week by the EU Foreign Affairs Council to deploy a new EU civilian mission to the Republic of Armenia, aimed at supporting the strengthening of Armenia’s democratic resilience, addressing hybrid threats, including efforts to counter disinformation, cyberattacks, and illicit financial flows.

According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders, Armenia has once again made a remarkable improvement of its ranking, moving up 9 places over the past year and now standing 34th out of 180 countries. Armenia is also consistently recognized by Freedom House as a country enjoying internet freedom. The public perception is also high, with 72 percent of the respondents positively assessing the freedom of media in Armenia.

Mr. Chairperson,

Armenia remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing freedom of expression, and views the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media as a key partner in this endeavor.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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