MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ARMENIAN LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION
Dear colleagues, like-minded partners, and friends,
I am pleased to present the 2025 Annual Report of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association (ALA) (hereinafter referred to as the ALA), which reflects the work carried out by the organization throughout the year, the results achieved, and its continued commitment to strengthening the rule of law, advancing justice, and promoting the principles of good governance.
In 2025, the ALA continued its activities, focusing on the development and improvement of public policies, the protection of human rights, initiatives aimed at protecting the rights of persons forcibly displaced from Artsakh and providing them with support, anti-corruption policy, and improvements to the judicial system. The application of professional expertise, cooperation with public authorities and civil society organizations, and the development of ties with international partners played an important role in this work.
For the ALA, transparency and accountability are not merely principles guiding its activities; they are also essential expressions of its responsibility to the public. Accordingly, this report presents not only the programs and initiatives implemented, but also the organization’s contribution to addressing issues of public importance and advancing institutional reforms.
Building on the experience accumulated since 1995, its professional capacity, and its partnerships, the ALA will continue its consistent efforts to establish a fairer, more accountable, and more effective system of governance. I am confident that, through joint efforts, professional commitment, and cooperation, it is possible to advance solutions that serve the public interest and contribute to strengthening the rule of law in Armenia.
I would like to thank our partners, supporters, and all individuals and organizations whose participation and cooperation have contributed to our work.
INTRODUCTION
The Armenian Lawyers’ Association (ALA) is a non-governmental organization established in Yerevan in 1995. Over more than three decades of activity, the organization has developed professional expertise and established partnerships, consistently contributing to strengthening the rule of law in Armenia, combating corruption, protecting human rights, and improving the justice system.
The ALA’s main areas of activity include corruption prevention and combating corruption; the protection of human rights, including the rights of persons forcibly displaced from Artsakh, socially vulnerable groups, and women; the promotion of justice sector reforms; the professional development of lawyers and young specialists; and raising public legal awareness.
The organization recognizes the importance of digital tools and new technologies in improving the effectiveness of its activities, expanding access to information, and strengthening public awareness. Within this approach, the ALA continues to use electronic platforms across its various areas of work to disseminate information, raise awareness among citizens and stakeholders, and improve access to opportunities for rights protection, education, and public participation.
Electronic Platforms and Digital Tools Operated by the ALA
– ALA’s official trilingual website: https://armla.am
The website presents the organization’s activities, ongoing programs, initiatives, publications, and achievements, ensuring access to information in Armenian, English, and Russian.
– Official website of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia: https://aac.am
The website presents and publicizes the Coalition’s activities, initiatives, and results, contributing to the visibility of civil society efforts in the field of anti-corruption.
– Business Sector Whistleblowing Platform: https://bizprotect.am
The platform enables business representatives to submit reports concerning issues in the areas of taxation, customs, free economic competition, licensing, permits, and public procurement.
– Civil Society Whistleblowing Platform: https://haytnir.am
The platform enables citizens to submit reports anonymously or under their own identities regarding instances of corruption and other legal violations.
– Budget Knowledge Exchange and Learning Platform: https://budgets.am
Established within the framework of the Budgets for Citizens project, the platform promotes access to information on budget processes, the dissemination of accessible budget-related knowledge, and public participation.
– E-learning Platform: https://elearning.armla.am
The platform provides opportunities for online learning, the study of educational materials, and the assessment of acquired knowledge, contributing to the development of professional capacities.
– Platform for the Protection of the Rights of Persons Forcibly Displaced from Artsakh: https://armrights.am
The platform aims to protect the rights of persons forcibly displaced from Artsakh and support their integration in Armenia by improving access to information and mechanisms that facilitate the exercise of their rights.
The ALA’s Main Areas of Activity
- Combating corruption in Armenia.
- Protecting human rights, including the rights of Armenians from Artsakh, socially vulnerable groups, and women, and raising legal awareness.
- Supporting reforms in the justice sector, including constitutional, judicial, and other targeted areas.
- Contributing to the education of lawyers and young people and to the development of civil society.
- Raising public legal awareness.
THE LAW LIBRARY AND THE IRAVABAN MEDIA OUTLET
The ALA maintains an extensive law library used by ALA members, young lawyers in Yerevan and the regions of Armenia, and other individuals interested in the legal field. The library contributes to the acquisition of professional knowledge, access to legal information, and the development of the legal community.
In 2025, the ALA’s independent online professional media outlet, www.iravaban.net, continued its operations. The media outlet publishes content in two languages, Armenian and English, providing both legal and other information of public importance to professional audiences and the general public. It is also present on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Telegram. Its Facebook page has more than 333,000 followers.
THE ALA’S MISSION, VALUES, AND TEAM
Mission
To contribute to the formation of a sovereign legal community in Armenia characterized by a high level of professional competence, unimpeachable integrity, and the application of legal innovation, and to foster a legally secure environment, legal culture, the rule of law, and legal innovation in society.
Values
The ALA’s activities are founded on the values of sovereignty, high professional competence, honesty, leadership, innovation, teamwork, conscientiousness, justice, solidarity, constructive dialogue, determination, courage, and forgiveness. These values guide the organization’s activities, professional cooperation, and relationships with partners.
Team
The team’s professional capacities and innovative thinking are key pillars supporting the continuity and development of the ALA’s activities. The organization’s specialists consistently improve their knowledge and skills by participating in professional development opportunities in Armenia and abroad. Their experience, initiative, and new ideas contribute to the implementation of the organization’s programs and the advancement of new initiatives.
The ALA regularly organizes activities aimed at developing its members’ professional knowledge and related skills, emphasizing continuing education, professional growth, and the preservation and development of national, educational, and professional values. Throughout its work, the organization’s team is guided by the ALA’s mission and values, regarding them as fundamental principles of teamwork and organizational culture.
SUMMARY OF THE ALA’S PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
“Budgets for Citizens” Project
In cooperation with the Economic Development and Research Center NGO and Agora Central Europe (Czech Republic), the ALA is implementing the European Union-funded Budgets for Citizens project. The project runs for 48 months, from 8 December 2022 to 7 December 2026. Its objective is to promote inclusive and transparent budget processes in Armenia by increasing civil society participation. The project’s main target sectors are justice, education, social protection, and agriculture.
During the reporting year, the second cohorts of training programs were delivered to transfer budget-related knowledge to young professionals and to strengthen the budgetary capacities of CSOs and media organizations.
The training programs were followed by the provision and implementation of subgrant projects focused on monitoring and analyzing budgets in the target sectors and conducting budget advocacy. Eight participants who achieved the best results during the training program for young professionals were engaged in the subgrant projects as budget specialists on a contractual basis. The project’s results and activities are regularly publicized through the Budget Knowledge Exchange and Learning Platform at budgets.am.
“Strengthening Mechanisms for the Protection of the Rights of Persons Forcibly Displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh” Project
The project commenced in February 2024 and concluded in January 2025. Its objective was to facilitate the integration of persons forcibly displaced from Artsakh into their new communities of residence in Armenia by strengthening mechanisms for the protection of their rights, raising their legal awareness regarding their rights, and improving access to and protection through justice.
Following the project’s completion, the ALA continued its work in this area using its own resources. In particular, during January of the reporting year, 140 legal consultations were provided to Armenians from Artsakh through the Armrights.am platform, while another 16 individuals received consultations during community visits and visits to the organization’s office. Legal documents were prepared, and four community visits were conducted.
Efforts also continued to identify systemic legal issues and work with the competent state authorities to address them. Alongside legal assistance, public awareness-raising activities and efforts to identify systemic issues were carried out. As part of the series Legal Issues Faced by Armenians from Artsakh in Armenia, 24 videos were published, presenting the experiences and legal challenges of forcibly displaced persons.
“Public Monitoring and Awareness for Effective and Inclusive Police Reforms” Project
The project was implemented from 4 April to 4 December 2025. Its objective was to increase civil society participation in monitoring police reforms and assessing their impact by ensuring an independent public assessment of the interim results of the Police Reform Strategy and raising public awareness of the reforms.
In particular, the implementation of 52 actions scheduled for the first half of 2024–2025 under the 2024–2026 Action Plan of the Police Reform Strategy of the Republic of Armenia was monitored and assessed in terms of quantitative and qualitative results. The draft and final versions of the report were discussed with stakeholders, and the final findings were consolidated and published in the final report.
To raise public awareness and engage young people, the Speak Up for Justice essay competition and the Illustrate Justice art competition were announced and held, with young people from Yerevan and the regions of Armenia taking part.
“Armenia Disinformation Resilience Academy: Building Strategic Defense Capabilities Through Lithuanian Experience” Project
The project was implemented from 26 June to 25 October 2025, with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Armenia.
As part of the project, the Disinformation Resilience Academy was organized. From among the applicants who demonstrated a strong interest in the Academy, 20 participants from Yerevan and the regions of Armenia were selected.
The Academy included online training, advanced professional courses, meetings with national and international experts, and mentoring support. These activities aimed to develop participants’ capacities in identifying disinformation, protecting personal data, understanding the impact of artificial intelligence on the spread of disinformation in the modern world, and strengthening media literacy.
A practical handbook on countering disinformation was developed. Two public-private dialogue workshops dedicated to countering disinformation were organized. During these workshops, the handbook was presented, challenges in the field in Armenia and opportunities for cross-sectoral cooperation were discussed, and priorities for combating disinformation were outlined. These priorities included, among other things, strengthening legal and institutional mechanisms, developing public education and media literacy, and promoting international cooperation.
EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES
Budget Training Programs
Within the framework of the Budgets for Citizens project, the second cohorts of training programs were delivered to transfer budget-related knowledge to young professionals and strengthen the budgetary capacities of CSOs and media organizations.
The training programs were designed to deepen knowledge of state budget processes, develop practical skills in budget analysis and monitoring, and strengthen capacities for public participation and advocacy in budget processes. The training for young professionals also included practical assignments and public awareness-raising activities to enable participants to apply and disseminate the knowledge they had acquired.
Armenia’s Disinformation Resilience Academy
The Academy aimed to strengthen the resilience of target groups to disinformation through the transfer of Lithuanian experience, developing their professional capacities, raising public awareness, and promoting multisectoral dialogue.
The Academy comprised four stages: interactive online training covering five fundamental topics; advanced professional training; meetings with national and international experts in the field and with responsible representatives of competent authorities; and mentoring support for the implementation of group projects and practical assignments.
The educational process was designed to deepen participants’ knowledge and develop practical skills in identifying and countering disinformation.
Art and Essay Competitions
Within the framework of the Public Oversight of and Awareness-Raising on Effective and Inclusive Police Reforms project, the Speak Up for Justice essay competition and the Illustrate Justice art competition were organized.
The competitions aimed to explore young people’s perceptions of justice, the police, and human rights, while encouraging them to express their opinions freely, analyze sector-specific challenges, and propose possible solutions through essay writing and art.
School pupils and students from colleges and higher education institutions participated in the competitions, including participants from various regions of Armenia.
Online seminars were held to raise participants’ awareness and answer their questions. Three winners and two recipients of special prizes were selected in each competition. These initiatives contributed to raising young people’s legal awareness and enabling them to express their views on justice and human rights.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Throughout 2025, the ALA continued to develop its international cooperation by participating in conferences, high-level meetings, and expert discussions organized within the framework of international organizations, civil society networks, and anti-corruption initiatives.
5–7 February — ALA expert Mariam Zadoyan participated in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. During a panel discussion entitled Networking for Collaboration: Strengthening Integrity Systems through Collective Action, she presented the experience of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia, addressing anti-corruption legislative reforms, the establishment of anti-corruption bodies, the development of whistleblowing and beneficial ownership frameworks, and efforts undertaken to develop anti-corruption strategies and raise public awareness.
7–9 July — At the 24th Plenary Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Anti-Corruption Network and the 30th Meeting of the Steering Group of the Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan, held in Paris, Mariam Zadoyan presented the ALA’s independent monitoring findings on the implementation of Armenia’s 2023–2026 Anti-Corruption Strategy on behalf of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia during discussions on monitoring Armenia’s anti-corruption policy. She highlighted discrepancies between the actual implementation of the actions envisaged by the Strategy and the indicators reported by the Government.
In September, ALA Vice-President Marat Atovmyan participated in a commemorative event held in Strasbourg marking the 40th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
7–9 October — At the 9th Open Government Partnership Global Summit, held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, the ALA was represented by Program Manager Suzanna Soghomonyan. During a panel discussion entitled Whistleblower Protection and Strengthening Oversight: Building Trust and Impact, she presented the work undertaken to develop Armenia’s whistleblowing system, the existing systemic challenges, and the alternative whistleblowing platform haytnir.am, established and operated by the Association.
5 December — At the 7th meeting of the EU–Armenia Civil Society Platform, held in Brussels, the ALA was represented by Suzanna Soghomonyan, a member of the Platform and an anti-corruption expert. She delivered a report on the progress of anti-corruption reforms in Armenia, addressing the institutional independence of anti-corruption bodies, corruption prevention and the fight against corruption, as well as challenges in anti-corruption education, also considering assessments by specialized international organizations.
2–4 December — At the Second Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Summit, held in Brussels, Association representative Suzanna Soghomonyan participated, as an ALA representative and member and speaker of the Armenian National Platform delegation, in a panel discussion dedicated to the challenges and opportunities facing Armenia on its path toward accession to the European Union.
15–19 December — At the 11th Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, ALA President and Secretary General of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia Karen Zadoyan and ALA Vice-President and Coalition expert Marat Atovmyan participated.
Within the framework of the Conference, they took part in discussions on anti-corruption policy, transparency, accountability, and international cooperation. In addition, Karen Zadoyan and Marat Atovmyan held meetings with delegations from various countries and representatives of international organizations, anti-corruption bodies, and civil society to discuss opportunities for cooperation and establish cooperation arrangements.
REPORTS, ANALYSES, AND COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In 2025, the ALA actively pursued expert work in the areas of corruption prevention, human rights protection, judicial and legal reforms, police reforms, improvement of whistleblowing systems, and combating disinformation.
The organization prepared and published reports on the monitoring of the implementation of strategic documents, comments and recommendations on draft legislation, as well as methodological guidelines and practical handbooks. These publications were intended to assess the implementation of public policies, identify existing problems and gaps, improve legal regulations, and develop professional capacities in the relevant fields.
The main materials published during the reporting year included:
Whistleblowing Systems
- Methodological Guidelines for Internal Whistleblowing Systems in Local Self-Government Bodies
- Methodological Guidelines for Internal Whistleblowing Systems in Private Sector Organizations
Comments on Draft Legal Acts
Reports on the Monitoring of Strategic Documents
- Report on the Results of Monitoring the Implementation, in 2023–2024, of the Actions Scheduled for Implementation During 2023–2024 under the 2023–2026 Action Plan for the Implementation of the Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Armenia
- Report on the Results of Public Monitoring of the Actions Scheduled for Implementation in 2023–2024 under the 2023–2025 Action Plan Derived from the National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights of the Republic of Armenia
- Report on the Results of Public Monitoring of the Actions Scheduled for Implementation in 2022–2024 under the Action Plan Derived from the 2022–2026 Strategy for Judicial and Legal Reforms of the Republic of Armenia
- Report on the Results of Public Monitoring of the Actions Scheduled for Implementation in 2024–2025 (First Half) under the 2024–2026 Action Plan Derived from the Police Reform Strategy of the Republic of Armenia
Combating Disinformation
- Comprehensive Handbook on Countering Disinformation
- Roadmap for Cross-Sectoral Cooperation in Combating Disinformation
ALA FINANCIAL REPORT FOR 2025
| Expenditure item | Amount (thousands) |
| Staff remuneration and social security contributions | 42,730 |
| Depreciation and amortization of fixed assets and intangible assets, and costs of their repair and maintenance | 12,665 |
| Travel and representation expenses | 8,553 |
| Postal and telecommunications expenses | 2,045 |
| Office and utility expenses | 3,387 |
| Audit and consultancy expenses | 2,571 |
| Banking service and security expenses | 45 |
| Expenses related to non-deductible taxes | 1,382 |
| Other administrative expenses | 8,267 |
| Program expenses | 89,664 |
| Current tax expense (income) | 49 |
| Total | 172,358 |
THE ALA BOARD
The Board of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association is the governing body of the organization during the periods between its General Assemblies. The composition of the ALA Board is as follows:
| Name | Position |
| Karen Zadoyan | President of the ALA; Chairperson of the ALA Board |
| Arpine Yeghikyan | Secretary of the ALA Board |
| Marat Atovmyan | Member of the ALA Board |
| Astghik Matinyan | Member of the ALA Board |
| Karen Kocharyan | Member of the ALA Board |
CONTACT INFORMATION
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Central Office Yerevan, 7 Nalbandyan Street, Office No. 2 Telephone: +374 10 540199 Email: [email protected] |
ALA Yerevan Branch — Yerevan Anti-Corruption Center Yerevan, 7 Nalbandyan Street, Office No. 2 (entrance from the courtyard) Telephone: +374 10 540199 Email: [email protected] |
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ALA Lori Regional Branch — Lori Regional Anti-Corruption Center 82 Vardanants Street, Apt. 1, Vanadzor Telephone: +374 322 2 23 17 Email: [email protected] |
ALA Shirak Regional Branch — Shirak Regional Anti-Corruption Center 1 Tigran Mets Avenue, Apt. 2, Gyumri Email: [email protected] |