statement on the ratification of the Oviedo Convention by the
Republic of Armenia

The Republic of Armenia has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention), a foundational international treaty adopted in 1997 to ensure respect for human rights in the context of biomedicine and bioethics.

This is a significant development for Armenia’s engagement with international standards governing medical practice, genetic research, and bioethical regulation. Yet, while the Convention was groundbreaking in its time, it also carries within it assumptions that no longer reflect modern human rights law, especially regarding the rights of persons with disabilities, including with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.