The international human rights organization Freedom House published the annual report "Countering the Authoritarian Overhaul of the Internet," according to which Armenia ranks among the free countries. The report states that Armenia received 74 points this year, as opposed to 71 points in 2021. The report covers June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022.
In the report's reference to Armenia, it is stated explicitly that "local and international civil society groups in Armenia jointly condemned and convinced the government to repeal the article on grave offense in the criminal code adopted in July 2021. The law, which criminalized insults to government officials and public figures, was used throughout the year to prosecute users who made critical comments, especially against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Civil society activists voiced their concerns in private meetings with diplomats and the Armenian media, and their objections were later cited in a formal application to the Constitutional Court. Government officials have agreed not to include the new criminal code provision in July 2022 and have committed to extensive consultations with CSO groups when drafting future media laws."
