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There have been limited accountability and no criminal investigation into allegations of abuse of power by police during largely peaceful antigovernment protesters in Yerevan in July 2016, Amnesty International said on Thursday.

The 400-page report https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/6700/2018/en/
summarizes human rights issues of concern to Amnesty in 159 countries across the world.

Among the key issues highlighted in the report concerning Armenia are the "lack of accountability for the use of unnecessary and excessive force by police during protests in Yerevan in 2016," "the trials of opposition members accused of hostage-taking and other violent crimes violated the right to a fair trial," "incidents of violence" recorded during Yerevan city council elections

The human rights group said in its annual report that members of the opposition group that occupied a police station in the run-up to the 2016 protests stood trial on charges of a range of violent crimes, including hostage taking and killing of police officers.

"Several defendants reported being beaten in detention, while their defence lawyers reported that they themselves were subjected to pressure and harassment to obstruct their work," said the document. 
It also reflects on the Several lawyers reports about being subjected to lengthy and intrusive security searches when arriving at court. Lawyers who refused to undergo searches were denied entry to the courtrooms and subjected to disciplinary proceedings by the Bar Association.

In the Freedom of Expression section, the international human rights group reflects isolated incidents of violence against journalists and others attempting to expose violations of the electoral process of the parliamentary and Yerevan city council.

The document next voices the CERD Committee concerns over the absence of data on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by minority groups, refugees and asylumseekers. It also raised concern over the lack of information available on small minority ethnic groups - such as the Lom (also known as Bosha) and the Molokans - and requested that the authorities collect data on economic and social indicators disaggregated by ethnicity, nationality and country of origin.