IODA to conduct second fact-finding mission to Armenia ahead of elections

(Horizon Media / YEREVAN) — The International Observatory for Democracy in Armenia (IODA) will conduct its second fact-finding mission to Armenia from May 22–26, 2026, as the country approaches its June 7 parliamentary elections.

The delegation will include several prominent international figures specializing in human rights, law, and democratic governance, including Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director of DAWN and former Middle East and North Africa Director at Human Rights Watch; former Canadian Member of Parliament Bryan May; Diana Kearney, Head of Legal and Shareholder Advocacy at Oxfam America and Board Member of Amnesty America; and Philippe Kalfayan, legal advisor and coordinator of the IODA Executive Board.

According to the organization, the mission will focus on developments related to democratic processes, institutional governance, the rule of law, political pluralism, and civil liberties in Armenia, particularly within the context of the current pre-electoral environment.

During the visit, the delegation is expected to meet with representatives of state institutions, political parties, international organizations, civil society groups, human rights defenders, and other stakeholders in order to assess the broader democratic climate and electoral conditions.

IODA also announced that the mission will include regional visits outside Yerevan to examine local political dynamics, conditions for political competition, potential misuse of administrative resources, and issues related to citizens’ political and civil rights.

At the conclusion of the mission, the organization will publish its observations and findings.

IODA is an independent, ad hoc analytical initiative that observes and assesses political and institutional developments related to democratic governance and civic space in Armenia. The organization emphasized that it does not conduct formal election monitoring or endorse political actors.