15 Armenian civil society organizations issued a statement strongly condemning the actions of the Armenian Ministry of Health and the Ethics Committee of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, accusing them of illegally pressuring human rights activist Mamikon Hovsepyan.
According to the signatories, on June 25, 2025, the CCM decided to temporarily suspend Hovsepyan from participating in the mechanism, citing the CCM and Global Fund Code of Conduct. The formal reason was his public criticism of possible abuses and corruption in the health sector. At the same time, the activists claim that the human rights activist was not given the opportunity to review the complaints, respond to them, or present his position, which is a gross violation of the principles of fair process and freedom of expression.
The statement notes that the decision was based on an internal document that was never approved by CCM members and, therefore, has no legal force. The organizations believe that this move is aimed at weakening public control and call on the CCM to revoke the “illegal decision,” stop the persecution of Gvosepyan, and conduct an independent investigation into the role of the Ministry of Health.
Mamikon Hovsepyan himself stated on his Facebook page that during his 13 years at the CCM, he had always advocated for transparency and accountability in the use of funds to combat HIV/AIDS. He claims that instead of considering his comments, the Ministry of Health collected and forwarded his publications to the Ethics Committee with the aim of removing him from oversight processes.
The human rights activist also links the committee’s decision to the personal and professional ties of its members with Deputy Minister of Health Lena Nanushyan, pointing to the appointment of close associates to key positions in the health care system and CCM.
“This is not just about my role. It is about the right to speak freely on topics of public interest. Silencing a human rights defender undermines public oversight and threatens the fight against corruption and inefficiency in our healthcare system,” Hovsepyan concluded.