“Armenia Pro Bono Collaborative Project” wins 2025 PILnet Global Award

YEREVAN — The International and Comparative Law Center (ICLaw) is proud to announce that the Armenia Pro Bono Collaborative Project has been named the winner of the 2025 PILnet Global Award in the Global Partnership category. The PILnet Global Awards honor legal initiatives worldwide that advance social change, strengthen civil society and protect the public interest. 

The Armenia Pro Bono Collaborative Project is a joint initiative of ICLaw Center and leading international law firms Orrick, Baker McKenzie, Simmons & Simmons and Reed Smith, as well as local organizations and human rights lawyers. 

The project was launched to provide urgent legal support to ethnic Armenians forcibly displaced from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) following Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor and subsequent large-scale military attack. 

Working in partnership with the Artsakh Union, the project filed applications on behalf of 173 victims before the European Court of Human Rights. The initiative mobilized more than 120 volunteer lawyers across multiple jurisdictions, who, together with human rights attorney Ara Ghazaryan and Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan, prepared and submitted 113 applications. These cases concern violations of the rights to return, property, family life and effective remedies under the European Convention on Human Rights. In total, over 1,600 pro bono hours were contributed in just three months, demonstrating the impact of coordinated legal action in times of crisis. 

“This recognition by PILnet underscores the importance of solidarity among legal professionals in responding to humanitarian crises,” said Siranush Sahakyan, director of the ICLaw Center. “Our collaboration demonstrates that when lawyers unite across borders in defense of human dignity and justice, the impact can be both immediate and lasting.” 

Artak Beglaryan, president of the Artsakh Union, said: “Receiving this award is a powerful acknowledgment of the urgent need to safeguard the fundamental rights of the Artsakh people. It brings vital international attention to our plight and strengthens our ongoing efforts to secure legal protection and accountability.” 

The PILnet Global Awards were presented at the annual Global Awards Dinner in Rome on Nov. 13, 2025, celebrating innovative pro bono partnerships and local impact projects from around the world. Human rights lawyer Arpi Avetisyan attended on behalf of Armenia. “This project is bigger than the access to justice for the applicants,” she said. “It is also a beacon of hope for tens of thousands of people forcefully displaced from their homes in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh).” 

The International and Comparative Law Center extends its gratitude to all partner firms, volunteers and organizations who contributed their expertise and dedication to this initiative. The ICLaw Center extends special thanks to Avetisyan, whose coordination of the project ensured seamless collaboration between local and international partners. Her leadership and commitment were essential to the project’s success. 

The award reaffirms the ICLaw Center’s commitment to using the law as a tool for accountability, human rights protection and social justice. 

*The International and Comparative Law Center is implementing its activities in close partnership with the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights.