- Freedom House report reveals approximately 200 sq km of Armenian territory remains under occupation as of 2025.
- The report documents Azerbaijan’s intentional forced displacement of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.
- Over hundreds of witness interviews and open-source data were analyzed to understand the absence of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh by May 2024.
- Azerbaijan is found to have implemented a comprehensive strategy to empty Nagorno-Karabakh of its Armenian population and cultural presence.
- The report notes Armenia’s efforts to reduce security dependence on Moscow amid ongoing regional tensions.
Freedom House Report Highlights Ongoing Occupation of Armenian Territory and Forced Displacement from Nagorno-Karabakh
Yerevan, Armenia – A recent report by Freedom House has brought to light the continued occupation of approximately 200 square kilometers of Armenian territory as of 2025. The comprehensive study also meticulously documents the intentional and systematic forced displacement of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh by the Azerbaijani state, culminating in the near-complete absence of Armenians from the region by May 2024.
The report, titled “Why Are There No Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh?”, delves into the period starting with the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020 and extends through Azerbaijan’s military offensive in September 2023 and its aftermath. Through an extensive international fact-finding mission, which included hundreds of witness interviews and the analysis of open-source data, the collaborative effort by Freedom House and other human rights organizations seeks to answer the pressing question of why no ethnic Armenians reside in Nagorno-Karabakh as of May 2024.
Systematic Campaign of Forced Displacement
The findings of the Freedom House report reveal a disturbing pattern of regular attacks, intimidation, deprivation of basic rights, and inadequate living conditions intentionally inflicted upon the ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan. The evidence gathered strongly suggests that the Azerbaijani state acted upon a comprehensive and methodically implemented strategy aimed at emptying Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian inhabitants and erasing their historical and cultural presence from the territory.
This joint fact-finding report was prepared through the collaborative efforts of Freedom House, the International Partnership for Human Rights, the Democracy Development Foundation, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor, the Protection of Rights without Borders NGO, the Law Development and Protection Foundation, and Truth Hounds. The open-source investigation and verification were conducted by the Media Diversity Institute, highlighting the extensive and multi-faceted approach taken to compile the report’s findings.
Decline in Nagorno-Karabakh’s Status and Integration into Azerbaijan
The report also references the 2024 edition of Freedom in the World, which documented the decline of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status from Partly Free to Not Free. This downgrade was attributed to an Azerbaijani blockade and the subsequent military offensive that led to the dissolution of local political, legal, and civic institutions, ultimately resulting in the departure of nearly the entire civilian population. As of the 2025 edition of Freedom in the World, conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh are now covered under the country report for Azerbaijan, signifying the complete takeover and integration of the region by Azerbaijan.
Broader Context: Military Pressure and Geopolitical Shifts
The Freedom House overview also provides context regarding the broader situation in Armenia, noting the country’s significant political transition in 2018 and subsequent efforts to address systemic issues such as corruption and rule of law. However, the report emphasizes that Armenia has been seriously affected by military pressure from Azerbaijan in recent years. The events of September 2023, which saw the mass exodus of nearly all ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, are a stark reminder of this pressure.
Furthermore, the report touches upon key developments in 2024, including the Armenian government’s agreement on a border delimitation process with Azerbaijan, which involved handing over four pieces of territory to Baku and sparked internal protests. The report also mentions the government’s ongoing efforts to decrease Armenia’s dependence on Moscow for security, including freezing its membership in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and overseeing the withdrawal of Russian border guards from key locations by the end of the year. These actions indicate a significant shift in Armenia’s geopolitical orientation amid the complex regional dynamics. The findings of the Freedom House report underscore the multifaceted challenges facing Armenia in 2025, including territorial disputes, the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and evolving security alliances.