According to a report by a media watchdog, violations of the rights of journalists and media outlets in Armenia decreased in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

Ashot Melikyan, chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of _expression_, a Yerevan-based NGO, noted a decline across all categories, including physical violence, various forms of pressure, and especially violations of the right to access and disseminate information.

“There has been a noticeable decrease in physical violence, various forms of pressure, and especially in violations of the right to receive and disseminate information. There were 2 cases of physical violence in the first quarter of last year, compared to 1 during the same period this year. Incidents of pressure stood at 25 in the first three months of 2025, and 22 in the first quarter of 2026. A sharp decline has been recorded in violations of the right to access and disseminate information: 7 cases were registered this quarter, compared to 29 in the first quarter of last year,” Melikyan said at a press conference.

Referring to the sharp drop in violations related to access to and dissemination of information, Melikyan said there are two main reasons for this.

“These issues were widely raised, prompting state bodies to take action, as they also recognized the shortcomings. In addition, there is a growing trend toward making more information available on digital platforms. This could help improve the situation,” he said.

The number of lawsuits against journalists and media outlets has remained unchanged. In the first quarter of this year, 14 new cases were filed. This figure reflects a consistent trend compared to both the first quarter of 2025 and other quarterly data. The lawsuits were filed by officials, business representatives, journalists, opposition figures, and private individuals, and in all cases were based solely on claims of insult and defamation.

Summarizing the figures, Melikyan noted that the first quarter of 2026 was relatively calm.