Civil society condemns retaliation against Zangezur mine strikers

By Elen Muradyan

A coalition of over 25 international civil society groups strongly condemned what it calls “retaliation” by the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) against eight Armenian miners dismissed after leading a strike for better labor and environmental conditions.

In a joint statement released Tuesday, the organizations denounced ZCMC’s legal action against the eight workers, who now face a lawsuit demanding over $12 million (4.7 billion AMD) in damages. A court has placed a lien on their properties as the case moves forward.

The striking workers, who were fired in February after an 11-day walkout, had demanded improved safety protocols, health insurance, ecological protections, and salary raises. The strike, the first of its kind at ZCMC, temporarily halted operations at the mine, Armenia’s largest taxpayer and one of its biggest employers.

“This is a textbook example of using financial and legal pressure to silence dissent,” the statement said. “We are deeply alarmed by the scale of retaliation and the clear attempt to stigmatize lawful protest.”

ZCMC is 21.8% state-owned and plays a pivotal role in Armenia’s economy. The Syunik-based mine is one of the world’s leading molybdenum producers and employs around 4,600 people. The company reported daily losses of $1 million during the strike.

Although a compromise was eventually reached that included salary increases and benefits upgrades, the eight workers identified as strike leaders were dismissed and have since filed a lawsuit seeking reinstatement. According to their legal team, the agreement between the mine’s management and the strikers also included verbal assurances that no reprisals would be taken.

Civil society groups point to what they described as a broader pattern of “intimidation and strategic litigation against public participation” in Armenia’s mining sector. They cite the example of eco-activist Oleg Dulgaryan, who was targeted by ZCMC last year for alleged defamation over public comments, and earlier lawsuits by Lydian, the company behind the controversial Amulsar gold mine project.

The statement also criticized the involvement of ZCMC’s in-house union and the national union of miners, both of which issued statements labeling the strike as “sabotage” and the workers’ actions as illegal. These unions, the groups argued, cannot be considered independent and have effectively sided with the management.

“These retaliatory actions represent an alarming erosion of labor rights and civic space in Armenia,” the statement warned, calling on ZCMC and the Armenian authorities to: immediately reinstate the dismissed workers and withdraw the multi-million claim, respect workers’ right to strike and freedom of expression, and ensure that journalists, human rights defenders, and local communities can safely speak out about the environmental and social impacts of mining operations.

The Armenian government has so far remained silent on the matter.

Among the signatories of the statement are Green Advocates International (Liberia), Global Labor Justice (the U.S.), Green Alternative (Georgia), Mines Minerals & People (India), and several regional organizations based in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

ZCMC is majority-owned by entities linked to Russian businessman Roman Trotsenko, who is under U.S. and EU sanctions. The company has not commented publicly on the case.