The Armenian Center for Political Rights has published a report on the law authorizing the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs to conduct remote biometric surveillance (Law No. ՀՕ-65-Ն).
The law itself will grant the police broad powers to identify individuals through video surveillance systems in cases of all types of offences. Based on the statements of the co-author of the law, through artificial intelligence and facial recognition systems, the police will have the ability to identify even people “littering the street” and subject them to administrative liability.
Taking into account international human rights standards, including the approaches of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights on the use of facial recognition systems, the application of the law will inevitably lead to a number of human rights violations, including the rights to respect for private life and freedom of peaceful assembly.
The law has not undergone a human rights risk assessment, nor has it been submitted to the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR for expert opinions. It will enter into force on August 9 of this year.
Accordingly, ACPR proposes:
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1. To repeal Law No. ՀՕ-65-Ն on Amendments and Supplements of the law “On Police” adopted on March 5, 2025, or
2. To postpone the entry into force of the said law and submit it in its current version to the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission for an opinion.
Rafael ISHKHANYAN
President of the Armenian Center for Political Rights
The report is available through the link below
https://drive.google.com/…/1Tbz3Am0PYMhAFxhbjLT…/view…
