The anti-discrimination law must be adopted, there is a clear public demand, says the Minister of Internal Affairs.
31-07-2026 11:30 Armenia Press release
In the context of the national strategy for the protection of human rights, the Ministry of Justice has developed, circulated, and entered into a phase of broad public discussions the draft law on "Ensuring Equality and Protection from Discrimination" (currently the title of the draft is "On the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection from Discrimination"). This was stated by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Arpine Sargsyan, as reported by the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to the minister, the draft defines the concept and types of discrimination, regulates the obligations of state and local self-government bodies, as well as their officials in the field of preventing discrimination and protecting against discrimination, and establishes the legal grounds for protection from discrimination.
Addressing public perceptions, Arpine Sargsyan noted that such initiatives are always accompanied by discussions at various stages, sometimes even resistance. According to her, this is not only the experience of Armenia but also of many countries when it comes to the institutionalization of equality.
The minister emphasized that it is the state's responsibility to ensure the right balance—continuing open and informed public communication on one hand, while not halting or postponing the implementation of systemic reforms solely due to fluctuations in perceptions.
In her assessment, from the perspective of internal public perceptions, the work is now easier than it was 5-10 years ago, as the environment has changed significantly. The involvement and expectations of society regarding human rights, including equality and the fight against discrimination, have increased, and the sensitivity of society has become more pronounced.
According to Arpine Sargsyan, the adoption of anti-discrimination legislation is viewed as an agenda-driven and inevitable step in the context of developing the human rights protection system.
The minister emphasized that the approach is clear—the law must be adopted, and the institutional mechanisms formed on its basis must be fully operational to ensure Armenia's consistent positioning as a committed state in the fight against discrimination.
* This text was automatically translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
