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Armenia: Treatment of communist party members; state protection (2000 - Oct. 2002)

The Research Directorate found numerous references to the activities of communist political parties in Armenia; however, no mention of mistreatment was found among the sources consulted.

Armenia currently has several registered active communist political parties including: the Communist Party of Armenia (HKK) (Eurasianet.org 11 Sept. 2000; Europa 2001 2001, 507; Political Parties of the World 2002, 20); the United Progressive Communist Party of Armenia (HAMKK) (ibid., 22; Eurasianet.org 11 Sept. 2000); a communist electoral bloc called the Union of Communist and Socialist Parties (KSK), which includes the HAMKK (ibid.; Political Parties of the World 2002, 22); Women of the Armenian Land (AHA) (Eurasianet.org 11 Sept. 2000) and the Renewed Communist Party, a splinter faction of the HKK announced on 13 December 2001 (Arminfo 13 Dec. 2001).

The aforementioned parties account for over 50,000 members in aggregate and both the HKK and the HAMKK have elected deputies to the Armenian parliament in the past (Eurasianet.org 11 Sept. 2000). According to the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), communist parties received over 100,000 electoral signatures in advance of the 1999 election (OSCE 30 July 1999, 12).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Arminfo [Yerevan, in Russian]. 13 December 2001. “New Communist Party Emerges in Armenia.” (FBIS-SOV-2001-1213 13 Dec. 2001/WNC)

Eurasianet.org. 11 September 2000. "Political Parties of Armenia." <http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/election/armenia/partpro1.html> [Accessed 23 Aug. 2002]

Europa World Year Book 2001. 2001. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). 30 July 1999. Republic of Armenia Parliamentary Election 30 May 1999: Final Report. <http://www.osce.org/odihr/documents/reports/election-reports/am/am3-2.pdf> [Accessed 23 Aug. 2002]

Political Parties of the World. 2002. 5th Edition. Edited by Alan J. Day. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.

Additional Sources Consulted

NEXIS

Internet sites including

Amnesty International

British Helsinki Human Rights Group

Eurasianet.org

Hellenic Resources Network

Human Rights Watch

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Armenia Report

World News Connection