E. Musaelyan, a person forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, applied through armrights.am, an online legal assistance platform operated by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association NGO, seeking support in obtaining beneficiary status under the State Housing Support Program for Families Forcibly Displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

The applicant had twice applied to be included in the list of beneficiaries of the program but had been rejected on the grounds that he did not meet the established eligibility requirements and could not be considered a forcibly displaced person because he had not actually resided in Nagorno-Karabakh after September 27, 2020.

E. Musaelyan was born and raised in Artsakh. In 2020, he enrolled in a military educational institution in the Republic of Armenia to continue his education. His presence in Armenia was exclusively обусловed by his educational obligations and was temporary in nature, as he had intended to continue his military service in Artsakh upon completing his studies.

However, as a result of the blockade of Artsakh, the closure of the Lachin Corridor, and the subsequent forced displacement, his return to Artsakh became objectively impossible. Meanwhile, his parents were persons forcibly displaced from Artsakh and had already been included in the state housing support program.

Despite these circumstances, his applications had been rejected without a comprehensive assessment of his actual ties to Artsakh, his family’s status, or the genuine reasons for his presence in Armenia.

Following a review of the application, the Armenian Lawyers’ Association’s legal team conducted a comprehensive examination of the facts presented and the applicable legal framework.

The review established the need for a comprehensive and individualized assessment of the applicant’s circumstances, taking into account his actual ties to Nagorno-Karabakh, the purpose of his presence in Armenia, his family’s status, and the objective circumstances that had arisen.

The ALA’s legal team prepared and submitted a substantiated letter to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, requesting that the rejection decision concerning E. Musaelyan be reconsidered and that an additional review be conducted.

The legal position presented emphasized that, in cases of this nature, the assessment should not be based solely on the applicant’s formal place of residence. Rather, all material factual and legal circumstances of the case should be taken into account, ensuring an individualized approach consistent with the objectives of the social assistance program.

As a result of the legal arguments presented and the additional examination of the case, the matter was referred for consideration to the interdepartmental commission established under the procedure prescribed by Government of the Republic of Armenia Decision No. 710-L of May 16, 2024. The commission examines individual cases of families who applied for the State Housing Support Program for Families Forcibly Displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh but were not granted beneficiary status.

At its meeting on June 30, 2026, the commission considered the application and adopted a positive decision.

As a result, E. Musaelyan was included in the list of beneficiaries of the State Housing Support Program for Families Forcibly Displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

This case demonstrates that effective legal assistance can play a significant role in protecting individual rights, overcoming legal barriers, and ensuring the effective exercise of those rights.