Armenia`s journalistic organizations defend their colleague from  Nagorno-Karabakh

ArmInfo. Armenia's journalistic organizations are defending their colleague from Nagorno-Karabakh. 

A statement issued by journalistic organizations of the republic, in  particular, notes that journalist Marut Vanyan, who settled in  Armenia after being forced to relocate from Stepanakert, recently  commented on the deplorable state of the streets of Hrazdan on his  Facebook page. He posted several photos and asked a rhetorical  question about whether this city has a mayor. After some time, "the  mayor's defenders" began insulting and threatening the journalist  under the post. To avoid a flood of hate speech, Marut Vanyan had to  close his Facebook page.

"We, the undersigned journalistic organizations, strongly condemn any  manifestations of discrimination and intolerance, especially when  they are disseminated in the media and on social networks. We confirm  that the publication of texts inciting hatred against our compatriots  displaced to Armenia as a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing by  Azerbaijan, division into "Armenians" and "Karabakhis" is an  extremely dangerous and unacceptable phenomenon.

It is especially reprehensible when such a discriminatory attitude is  manifested towards a journalist carrying out his professional  activities in Armenia. We call the campaign against Marut Vanyan  severe pressure on the journalist in order to prevent him from  raising issues of public importance.  Taking into account the above,  we demand that law enforcement agencies reveal the identities of  those who posted expressions inciting hatred, insults and threats  against the journalist, and bring them to justice. We demand that the  mayor of Hrazdan give a public assessment of what happened, call on  his supporters to show tolerance towards critical statements,  regardless of who is their author," says the statement, which was  signed by the Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech, the  Yerevan Press Club, and the Center for Media Initiatives , Freedom of  Information Center and others.