At the OSCE Human Dimension Conference in Warsaw on October 7, Daniel Ioannisyan, program coordinator at the Union of Informed Citizens NGO, responded sharply to the Azerbaijani delegation's accusations of Armenian NGOs being GONGOs (government-organized NGOs).
He emphasized that while Armenian civil society is critical of domestic democratic shortcomings, including election interference, abuse of administrative resources, and lack of campaign finance transparency, they are free to criticize the government without fear of persecution, unlike in Azerbaijan, where independent NGOs face systemic repression.
“You represent one of the most undemocratic countries in the region,” Ioannisyan said, directly addressing the Azerbaijani delegation. “Before calling us GONGOs, try answering whether there are real elections, independent media, or freedom of criticism in your country.”
He highlighted that his organization conducts investigations leading to resignations and reforms, takes the government to court, and even brings cases to the European Court of Human Rights.
