Hate speech threat to social solidarity, democratic values - Anahit  Manasyan

ArmInfo. In cooperation with the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, two- day discussions on "Raising Awareness of Hate Speech" were held in Tsaghkadzor on October 4 and 5.

According to a statement from the Ombudsman's Office, the purpose of  the event was to discuss manifestations of hatred spread through  social media and online networks, their causes, international  standards for combating them, and to address the most frequently  targeted groups. The event was attended by members of the National  Assembly, representatives of the judiciary, the Prosecutor's Office,  the Committee on Television and Radio Broadcasting, and staff from  the Ombudsman's Office.

In her speech, Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan emphasized the  importance of consistent efforts to prevent hate speech, emphasizing  that this language not only undermines social solidarity but also  threatens the strengthening of democratic values.

"Hate speech in Armenia is alarmingly widespread and is used almost  daily. It is widely disseminated by professional and academic  circles, as well as public and political figures.  This is an  extremely dangerous trend that can lead to profound negative  consequences.  Therefore, it is necessary to combat this phenomenon  with joint and consistent efforts. In this context, both National  Assembly members and public and political figures bear a special  responsibility for developing and implementing effective tools to  prevent and combat hate speech. It is crucial that all actors clearly  understand that hate speech is unacceptable under any circumstances,"  noted Anahit Manasyan.

Continuing on this topic, the Human Rights Defender also highlighted  the role of the media, emphasizing that the information environment  should not serve to spread hate speech, but rather to raise public  awareness of legitimate speech and strengthen social solidarity.

Opening remarks were also given by Jakob Wollenstein, Head of the  Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Political Dialogue in the South Caucasus  Program, and Rustam Bakoyan, Acting Chairman of the National  Assembly's Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee. The discussions  focused on international experience, legal approaches, and media  liability issues. The event also included panel discussions, in which  participants discussed practical situations, collaborating to develop  effective mechanisms for combating hate speech and raising awareness.