resettlement stalled and new community conflict but was re-appointed after his party sponsorship applications were suspended. won a majority in snap elections in June. The government failed to establish a new Security along the Armenia-Azerbaijan programme that would expand the border remained volatile with uncertainties resettlement opportunities to refugees of over demarcation lines. Occasional cross- other nationalities. border fighting led to military and civilian FAILURE TO TACKLE CLIMATE CRISIS casualties. The Covid-19 pandemic and the aftermath Although during the COP26 the executive of the 2020 conflict exacerbated the branch announced its commitment to country’s economic hardships. According to improve by almost 26% its nationally the World Bank, Armenia suffered an 8% determined contribution (NDC) compared to contraction in GDP, leading to the its 2016 NDC and to achieve carbon impoverishment of 70,000 people and driving neutrality by 2050, these targets remain 720,000 people into a lower welfare group. insufficient as they fail to align with the 1.5°C The elderly and less well-off were global warming commitment. Concerns disproportionately impacted by the remained over the failure to enact a law on pandemic, facing greater obstacles in conserving wetlands or to reform the accessing healthcare due to the lockdown hydrocarbons law, which promotes fossil restrictions and repurposing of public fuels. healthcare resources. Their ability to cover routine expenses – especially household services, utilities, food, medicines and ARMENIA medical services – also decreased significantly. Republic of Armenia Vaccination uptake remained low, with only Head of state: Armen Sarkissian 23 % of the population receiving a full dose Head of government: Nikol Pashinyan of the vaccine by December, amid a widespread anti-vax campaign. In response, There was no accountability or justice for in August, the government made Covid-19 victims of violations committed during the vaccination mandatory for all government 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and its workers and many private company aftermath. Over 100 people were killed or employees. injured by mines planted by Armenian VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL forces in areas ceded to Azerbaijan. Some HUMANITARIAN LAW 36,000 ethnic Armenians remained internally displaced. Peaceful protests were No progress was made in investigating war largely permitted after Covid-19 and martial crimes and other violations of international law restrictions were lifted, but freedom of humanitarian law during the 2020 conflict expression and access to information and its immediate aftermath, or in bringing continued to be restricted. Environmental those suspected of individual criminal concerns at the Amulsar gold mine responsibility to justice. remained unaddressed. Domestic violence Over 100 people were reported killed or remained a widespread problem, injured by mines planted by Armenian forces exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. in territories where they had ceded control to BACKGROUND Azerbaijan. Armenia shared several maps detailing landmine fields in exchange for Political tensions remained high throughout Azerbaijan returning Armenian captives. In the year. The prime minister resigned in April December the president of the European following months of anti-government protests Council reported that Armenia had returned over his handling of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Amnesty International Report 2021/22 77