International Lawyers Warn European Commission Over Interference in Armenian Democratic Process

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amsterdam & Partners LLP, counsel to ‘Strong Armenia’ leader Samvel Karapetyan, has today announced that it has submitted a formal legal complaint to the European Commission concerning the deployment of a “Hybrid Rapid Response Team” to Armenia, warning that the initiative constitutes direct interference in the country’s internal political processes and undermines, rather than upholds, free and fair elections.

The submission highlights a series of measures targeting the Armenian opposition, including the prosecution and detention of opposition figures, namely Mr. Karapetyan, the targeting of clergy and defence lawyers, the suppression of independent civil society, and, crucially, recent amendments to the Electoral Code that effectively prevent opposition alliances, including that of ‘Strong Armenia’, from participating on equal terms.

The letter, addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and copied to senior Commissioners, raises serious questions regarding the legal and political consequences of EU-funded activities in Armenia. The submission argues that, in the current political context, the operation risks creating a structural imbalance between the Armenian government and the political opposition.

Amsterdam & Partners argues that these developments reflect a broader pattern of democratic backsliding in Armenia.

The complaint focuses in particular on the European Union’s decision to allocate 27 million EUR under the NDICI-Global Europe instrument to fund a Hybrid Rapid Response Team tasked with monitoring what are described as “hybrid threats” and public narratives in the pre-election period. In practice, such a mechanism risks securitising legitimate political discourse and enabling Armenian authorities to characterise opposition activity as foreign interference, despite the EU having condemned such mechanisms elsewhere, namely in Russia and Georgia.

The letter further contends that the operation lacks basic safeguards, including transparency in its mandate, objective criteria for identifying disinformation, independent oversight mechanisms and any role for opposition participation. In this context, the submission warns that the European Commission may be exposed to significant legal liability under EU law, including for misuse of powers, acting beyond its competence and violations of fundamental rights.

Amsterdam & Partners denounces the pattern of inconsistent application of EU standards. The Union has even taken action against member states it considers to be rule-of-law violations, while continuing to deepen cooperation with the government of Armenia, despite it not being a member state and the existence of credible allegations of systemic repression during an electoral cycle.

Robert Amsterdam, Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam & Partners, states that:

“The European Union cannot claim to defend democracy while simultaneously financing mechanisms that risk distorting electoral competition in favour of an administration engaged in the systematic suppression of its opponents.

"What we are witnessing in Armenia is not simply democratic backsliding, but the deliberate construction of an electoral environment in which the opposition is marginalised, criminalised and recast as a security threat. By introducing a framework that allows legitimate political discourse to be labelled as ‘disinformation’ or foreign interference, the Commission is crossing a line from enabler to participant."

Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm specialised in political advocacy and human rights, based in London and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com.