ArmInfo. On November 16, the Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan received the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparations and Guarantees of Non-Repetition, Fabian Salvioli, and Brenda Vukovich, Human Rights Officer of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for the Department of Special Procedures.
Welcoming the guests, Anahit Manasyan presented the directions and priorities of the Defender's activity. In this context, she emphasized the importance of the work carried out within the framework of the fight against hate speech, atmosphere of intolerance, and discrimination. The Defender stated that these phenomena are widespread both throughout the world and in Armenia, which is unacceptable. The use of hate speech in the academic community by politicians and public figures, as well as in the media is of a particular concern.
The Defender emphasized that any manifestation of hate speech should be excluded from public speech.
Anahit Manasyan presented issues related to the protection of the rights of people forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh. The Defender specifically referred to the fact-finding activities conducted by her personally and by her staff, during which information was obtained about the deaths, tortures, disrespect of bodies, mutilations and ill-treatment of civilians as a result of Azerbaijani aggression, which are prohibited by international law.
Within the framework of the meeting, issues related to the state of human rights protection in the armed forces were also discussed.
Fabian Salvioli and Brenda Vukovich expressed their gratitude for the reception, emphasizing the activities of the Defender's institution in strengthening the proper system of human rights protection.