It is necessary to demand different model of public communication  from politicians - RA Human Rights Defender 

ArmInfo.  It is necessary to demand a different model of public communication from Armenian politicians and create a public environment in which it is unacceptable for political forces to use hate speech and incitement to hatred. This was stated by Armenia's Human Rights Defender, Anahit Manasyan, at a training session in Yerevan on "Combating Incitement to Hatred and Sexism Ahead of the Parliamentary Elections in Armenia."

The human rights activist regretted the constant need to remind  people that, regardless of the country's political developments,  human rights must remain paramount and paramount. She noted that  issues of incitement to hatred and discrimination remain particularly  pressing in this context. In this regard, she noted that recently, in  the run-up to the parliamentary elections, one can increasingly hear  politicians using phrases like "act like a man" or "you're a woman,  your place is at home with the children, why should you participate  in politics?" According to her, such statements may seem  insignificant to some, but they are a clear example of entrenched  gender stereotypes that continue to manifest themselves actively in  Armenian society, including during electoral processes.

"This problem is linked to stereotypical perceptions of social roles  and gender differences. For women, this manifests itself not only in  assessments of their professional activities but also in discussions  of their appearance. This perception needs to be changed, and these  issues need to be actively raised in the public space," the Ombudsman  emphasized.

As an example, Manasyan noted that gender stereotypes were  particularly evident during the municipal elections in Gyumri, where,  in her opinion, such instances were systematic. Manasyan called this  an extremely dangerous trend, emphasizing that society needs to be  clearly informed that such rhetoric is unacceptable.

At the same time, she emphasized that such rhetoric does not always  necessarily lead to criminal liability. "It's important to  distinguish between cases where rhetoric truly poses a public threat.  We're faced with an extremely weak understanding of the rationale for  applying criminal law in such cases. Many people believe that if  something affects them personally, it should be subject to criminal  liability. However, criminal law measures should only be applied when  it comes to statements that pose a public danger," Manasyan  explained.

Moreover, according to the Ombudsman of Armenia, political forces  must demonstrate their position on certain issues, primarily through  their own behavior. However, she noted, a serious problem exists  today: it is often the leaders of political forces who become the  disseminators of hate speech, including discriminatory statements  based on gender.

"I don't want to give specific examples now, as we are in the  pre-election period.  However, after the elections, this issue will  be examined more broadly, using the examples of specific political  forces. However, this is an extremely dangerous trend, and therefore,  it is necessary to demand a different model of public communication  from political figures," Manasyan said.

As the human rights activist explained, it is necessary to create a  public environment in which it is unacceptable for political forces  to use the language of hostility and hatred.  "Today, I don't see a  consensus or a common understanding of human rights values among  public figures in Armenia. And I consider this the most dangerous  thing in terms of the country's legal security.

We must work together to establish clear 'red lines' around certain  topics so that any processes are viewed primarily through the prism  of human rights," Manasyan concluded.  It's noteworthy that the  Armenian Ombudsman avoided pointing out that it is the current  Armenian authorities who are using hate speech, sowing discord, and  even displaying disrespect towards women. The images of the Prime  Minister of Armenia tugging, yelling, and threatening a woman who  dared to express dissatisfaction with his policies during an election  campaign on May 18 are still fresh in the minds of Armenian citizens.   However, the Armenian Ombudsman made only vague statements on this  matter, several hours later and only under public pressure. Let us  recall that 19 political forces - 17 parties and 2 blocs - will take  part in the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 7,  2026.