Online safety & content laws in Armenia (2026)

Legal framework

Law of the Republic of Armenia 'On Cybersecurity' (in force 4 January 2026); Law on Mass Communication; Criminal Code hate-speech provisions; Information Systems Regulatory Body (established under December 2025 legislative package); supervised by Ministry of High-Tech Industry

Key points: internet & online safety in Armenia

1. 01Cybersecurity Law (2026)

   The Law 'On Cybersecurity' entered into force on 4 January 2026 after parliamentary adoption on 4 December 2025. It mandates risk assessments, ISO 27001 compliance, 72-hour incident reporting, and establishes an independent Information Systems Regulatory Body elected by the National Assembly. Its scope covers critical-infrastructure operators and state systems, not content moderation on consumer platforms.

   hightech.gov.am gritarres.com

2. 02Platform liability & content rules

   ISPs and content hosts benefit from a safe-harbour-style shield from liability for third-party illegal content stored or transmitted without their knowledge. Online and digital media operate without sector-specific regulation or a dedicated regulatory authority; the Law on Audiovisual Media does not cover internet-delivered services such as YouTube.

   freedomhouse.org armenia.mom-gmr.org

3. 03Freedom House 2025 rating

   Freedom House's Freedom on the Net 2025 report rates Armenia as 'Free' with a score of 75/100 (down 1 point from 2024 due to temporary gambling-site blocking). The online environment is described as generally open, with limited website blocking and few content-removal orders, though some individuals have faced legal consequences for online criticism and commercial spyware use has been documented.

   freedomhouse.org

4. 04Website blocking regime

   Amendments to gambling laws that came into force in October 2024 mandate ISP blocking of unlicensed foreign gambling websites; enforcement began February 2025. Beyond gambling, there is no systematic government filtering or blocking of political, social, or news content.

   freedomhouse.org

5. 05Proposed media slander removal law

   In May 2025 the Ministry of Justice introduced a draft law that would require media outlets to remove content deemed 'slanderous' at the behest of authorities. Prime Minister Pashinyan simultaneously warned media to 'self-regulate' or face government-imposed restrictions. The draft had not been adopted as of mid-2026, and civil-society groups raised freedom-of-expression concerns.

   freedomhouse.org media.am

6. 06Child online protection (in development)

   As of 2025-2026 Armenia lacks dedicated child online-safety legislation. UNICEF and government partners are actively developing a legal and policy framework to protect children from cyber-enabled crime and online harm, but no law had been enacted at the time of research.

   unicef.org

Timeline of decisions

1. 1 Dec 2023Guidance
   Government Adopts Anti-Disinformation Concept and Action Plan 2024-2026

   Armenia adopted a whole-of-government strategy to bolster state and private sector capacity to identify and counter false information online; critics noted the plan lacked targeted provisions for AI-generated content and deepfakes despite the growing threat.

   Freedom House

2. 1 Dec 2022Guidance
   Ministry of Justice Proposes Martial Law Powers to Block Websites and Shut Down Internet

   Draft amendments to the Law on the Legal Regime of Martial Law would have granted authorities power to block websites, social media platforms, and apps, and to impose full or partial internet shutdowns during wartime, without judicial oversight or an appeals mechanism; the bill drew condemnation from Access Now, CPJ, and the #KeepItOn coalition and was never advanced to parliament.

   Access Now

3. 13 Sept 2022Incident
   TikTok Blocked on Armenian Mobile Networks During Azerbaijan Border Clashes

   Armenian mobile ISPs blocked TikTok for approximately one week amid the September 2022 border hostilities with Azerbaijan, citing risks of revealing military secrets and spreading misinformation; the block had no explicit legal basis under existing Armenian law, exposing a regulatory gap in content-restriction authority.

   OONI

4. 1 Jan 2005Law · official
   Law on Electronic Communication Enacted, Founding Internet Governance Framework

   Armenia enacted its foundational telecommunications law, assigning regulatory authority over ISPs and network operators to the PSRC; crucially the law contained no mechanism for content blocking or internet-traffic monitoring, establishing a liberal online environment by legislative design.

   ITU / Republic of Armenia

Sources

1. 1.freedomhouse.org/country/armenia/freedom-net/2025
2. 2.hightech.gov.am/en/tegekatvakan-kentron/ayl/norutyunner/government-approved-package-d
3. 3.gritarres.com/blog/privacy-and-cyber-law-in-armenia/
4. 4.csometer.info/updates/armenia-strengthen-rules-public-data-management-and-digital-p
5. 5.news.am/eng/news/899252.html
6. 6.unicef.org/armenia/en/press-releases/unicef-and-partners-develop-legal-and-polic
7. 7.armenia.mom-gmr.org/en/context/law/
8. 8.freedomhouse.org/country/armenia/freedom-net/2024
9. 9.media.am/en/critique/2024/01/10/37418/