This page provides information on the national frameworks to address hate crime in Armenia. The information provided here should be viewed alongside data presented on Armenia's hate crime report page.

Hate crime recording and data collection

Crimes committed in Armenia, including hate crimes, are registered by the Information Center of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia, along with information about the perpetrator and the criminal proceedings initiated. There are no separate records of hate crimes in the Police Information Centre.

Within the General Prosecutor Office, hate crimes are recorded by the relevant subdivision of the Prosecutor's Office assigned to a given case (for example, the Prosecutor's Office of Marz province, the city of Yerevan, or the garrison military prosecutor's office).

Following the adoption of a new Criminal Procedure Code, the forms used by the Prosecutor's Office were amended and now require a statistical record of all hate crime cases.

Hate crime victim support

Armenia's Criminal Procedure Code does not provide special conditions for recognizing hate crimes victims, and their status does not differ from the status of victims of other offences.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are the most frequent providers of support to hate crime victims in Armenia. CSOs typically offer legal assistance, social services, medical assistance and psychological support. However, the work of support providers is often hampered by insufficient resources and limited territorial reach. CSOs' assistance includes services facilitated through 24-hour hotlines and emergency shelters.

There are no measures in place to ensure the sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims by the police.

In line with the provisions of Article 74 of Armenia's Criminal Procedure Code, hate crime victims can take advantage of a range of special protection measures free of charge, including transfer to another place of residence. The body providing special protection may house victims in state or non-state accommodation, support centres, their own service buildings, or residential spaces rented for use as a safe place (point 28 of Annex No 1, approved by Decision of the Government No 560-N of 22 April, 2022,). Non-state accommodation and support centres are used upon the consent of their executive bodies. 

According to Article 50 of Armenia's Criminal Procedure Code, all victims have the right to be familiarized with the charge brought against the accused. They also have the right to receive the following free of charge: copies of procedural acts related to their status; copies of decisions to initiate, not initiate, terminate, suspend or dismiss criminal proceedings; copies of the indictment, final act or final judicial act; a copy of the probative action and other actions in the proceedings conducted with the victim's participation, including a copy of the annex thereto; and a copy of the decision on assigning expert examination and the expert opinion. Furthermore, victims have the right to review all materials related to the proceedings as soon as they are informed of the completion of the preliminary investigations, and to receive copies of any piece of information free of charge and upon their request. Specific protection measures exist and can be applied to victims of domestic violence.

According to part 3 of Article 179 of the Criminal Procedure Code, in case criminal proceedings are not initiated, the investigator is obliged to promptly inform the person who submitted the report in writing, and also provide the confirmation of the supervising prosecutor. The written explanation must state the grounds for the decision not to initiate criminal proceedings, and clarify the procedure and the time limits for appealing against the decision.

According to Article 159 of the Criminal Procedure Code, compensation may be awarded in case the offence results in the following damages: (i) direct property damage; (ii) expenses incurred for the replacement or repair of property that was lost, damaged or destroyed; (iii) reasonable healthcare expenses, including additional food and care; (iv) reasonable expenses for the burial of a deceased victim or a person declared to be a victim, including to erect a memorial stone or tombstone, and to maintain the grave site. Victims also have the right to bring actions under civil procedure for the compensation of damages left unsettled.

Hate crime capacity building

Armenia implemented ODIHR's programmes on Prosecutors and Hate Crime Training (PAHCT) and Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Topics related to addressing hate crime and discrimination are included in the subject descriptions and thematic plans of the undergraduate, middle (secondary) professional education and training courses for police officers provided by the Faculty of Law of the Academy of the Police Educational Complex (Ministry of Internal Affairs). The Police Educational Complex is responsible for developing and conducting mandatory training courses related to addressing hate crime. The training courses include guidance on identifying discrimination, dealing with the victims of hate crime, and the relevant procedures of international law and domestic legislation. Hate crimes are also covered during in-service training courses for police officers in Armenia.

Police officers of the Ministry of Internal affairs of Armenia regularly participate in online and remote conferences, work meetings, and training courses to learn about international best practices and standards in the field of combating hate crimes and protecting human rights.