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During the period from July to September 2023, Peace Dialogue’s monitoring group conducted a series of surveys. These surveys targeted individuals who had taken part in military training sessions at various intervals, with the goal of gathering comprehensive insights into the human rights conditions experienced during these training sessions.

This study represents a modest contribution to the peacebuilding efforts in the region, offering a nuanced understanding of the societal impact of the conflict. The research illustrates the risks of an overly narrow and top-down ‘normalization’ process that fails to address the popular concerns identified here and points to problems with the sustainability of a ‘thin’ peace treaty and process that neglects these issues.

Following the launch of the Contact 3.0 project on November 14-20, 2023, Peace Dialogue NGO, in collaboration with its German partner OWEN NGO, convened the second international reflection meeting in Potsdam, Germany. Participants of the event included team members from the project’s three countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Germany – along with young individuals who had implemented their own local initiatives in recent months. The meeting aimed to assess the small-scale projects fulfilled in each country. In Armenia, efforts centered on mitigating war-related repercussions, while in Azerbaijan, the focus was on preparing the society for peace. Meanwhile, in Germany, the initiative was devoted to addressing the challenges faced by refugees resulting from the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Peace Dialogue NGO’s study was designed to critically assess human rights norms and conscripts’ perceptions of military service in Armenia during the summer conscription of 2023. The initiative aimed to bridge the policy-practice gap in the realm of military service and human rights.

In the context of the “Developing Inclusive Oversight of Security” (DIOS) project in Armenia, an initiative running from December 2021 to June 2024, the Centre for European Security Studies (CESS) of The Netherlands, in collaboration with Peace Dialogue NGO in Armenia, has released a new policy brief. This brief carries the symbolic title: “Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Security Sector Oversight in Armenia.” It delves into the realm of democratic oversight of Armenia’s security sector, evaluating its capacity for effective oversight, interagency cooperation in holding the government accountable, and the prevailing culture of oversight.

In the summer of 2023, Peace Dialogue NGO embarked on an inspiring journey to empower young minds in Vanadzor, Armenia. Guided by Nikola Turière and Rima Galstyan, the Brainstorming Theater youth club became a dynamic platform for teenagers to explore their potential, engage in grassroots projects, and become active and informed citizens. This activity was part of a project CONTACT 3.0 that is implemented by Peace Dialogue NGO in partnership with the German partner OWEN eV.

We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations, consider that the official circles of the Russian Federation are trying to carry out a coup d’état in the Republic of Armenia in response to the commitment of our country to democratic development with all the attendant problems and difficulties. The authorities of the Russian Federation, which systematically and continuously violate the values of human rights at the state level, have a clear goal to undermine the sovereignty and independence of Armenia with the help of their supporters in Armenia and through other means, and establish a dictatorial regime in the country, increasing the level of Armenia’s dependence on Russia.