Released on January 14, 2009, Human Rights Watch's annual review of human rights practices around the globe, The World Report 2009 summarized major human rights issues in more than 90 countries. The Report on Armenia particularly states, "Armenia experienced one of its most serious civil and political rights crises since independence when security forces used excessive force on March 1 against opposition demonstrators protesting the results of the February 2008 presidential election."

In addition to the presidential election, marred by violence and irregularities, the report reflected on the restrictions on media freedom, freedom of assembly, attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and political activists, torture and ill-treatment in custody, as well as the key international actors' reactions. After detaining more than a hundred opposition supporters, police committed due process violations including incommunicado detention, denial of access to counsel. Subsequent trial proceedings raised fair trial concerns: several detainees were convicted solely on police testimony and in expedited trial proceedings. The Report on Armenia also dwelt on the restrictions on media activity under the state of emergency. Inter alia, after its lifting tax authorities hit some newspapers with apparently politically-motivated audits.

The PACE threatened to suspend Armenia's voting rights unless it took a series of urgent measures, including revoking the amendments to the law on meetings, conducting an independent inquiry into the March 1 events, and releasing those detained on seemingly politically motivated charges who had not committed any violent or serious offense. The European Union also expressed concern about the authorities' use of force and arrests of demonstrators. The United States froze further payments to Armenia from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a five-year program.

For full information on Human Rights Watch: Armenia 2009 please visit Human Rights Watch website at http://www.hrw.org/en/node/79227