Armenian Ombudsperson  urges to conduct public debates and legal  proceedings  in compliance with human rights standards

ArmInfo.Armenian Ombudsperson Anahit Manasyan has issued a statement demanding the elimination of discriminatory and hate speech against individuals or groups. She also called for all political and other public debates, as well as  legal proceedings, to be conducted in compliance with  human rights standards.

In an official statement released by the Human Rights Defender's  (HRD) office, Manasyan noted that public discourse in Armenia  increasingly contains dangerous labeling directed at various social  groups. She emphasized that this trend becomes particularly acute as  the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, 2026, approach-a  period when such rhetoric is often weaponized for political gain.

Specifically, Manasyan condemned the rising use of labels against  women, gender prejudices, and language that effectively demeans their  dignity. She noted that these stereotypes are rooted across all  levels of society, directly contradicting the principle of equality.  Furthermore, the Human Rights Defender noted that the attacks on  representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church, other religious  organizations, and atheists continue to be recorded. Manasyan  stressed that while any issue can be the subject of democratic  debate, it cannot be achieved by violating human rights guarantees  regarding religious freedom.

The Armenian Ombudsperson also called labeling people with  disabilities, including those with mental health issues, and  discriminatory statements against them in the context of political  debates unacceptable.  Attention was drawn to the impermissibility of  political and public figures spreading hate speech based on  ethnicity. She cited the derogatory use of terms like "Turk" or  "Yezidi" as specific examples of this harmful practice.

As Manasyan recalled, in connection with the strict observance of  guarantees regarding freedom of religion, including the importance of  respecting the autonomy of religious organizations, the Human Rights  Defender had previously issued a public statement demanding that  competent state bodies comply with international guarantees regarding  freedom of religion.

"The Ombudsman reaffirms the positions set forth in the statement and  emphasizes that in all cases where law enforcement proceedings  concern representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church or other  religious organizations, law enforcement and other competent  authorities are obligated to exercise the necessary sensitivity,  respect individuals' religious beliefs, and conduct proceedings  without creating the impression that individuals' religious beliefs  are not respected or that criminal proceedings are being conducted on  the basis of religious beliefs," the Human Rights Defender's office  noted.

Manasyan emphasized that several criminal cases against  representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church are also currently  under scrutiny. She noted that in one case, the dilemma of whether  this issue could be discussed in the context of a court hearing,  given the autonomy of the church, became a subject of public  discussion.

"Considering the existence of a judicial decision in the case and  without interfering in any way with the activities of the courts, the  Human Rights Defender considers the public communication conducted by  the competent authorities on this matter insufficient and emphasizes  that, with regard to such sensitive and legally contentious issues,  continuous, comprehensive communication is necessary in accordance  with international standards, presenting the grounds for the legality  of the actions of the competent authorities," the Human Rights  Defender noted in this regard, adding that public communication on  these issues must be carried out with the necessary sensitivity.

According to  Manasyan, her focus also includes  guaranteeing  religious freedom for persons deprived of their liberty. In this  regard, she reported that, during the course of cooperation between  the Human Rights Defender and the competent authorities, several  issues related to guaranteeing this right in places of detention were  resolved. "At the same time, the Ombudsman considers it necessary to  reiterate that guaranteeing religious freedom for persons deprived of  their liberty has numerous specific features, and therefore it is  necessary to demonstrate a systemic approach to this issue and  develop conceptual solutions in this regard," the Ombudsperson added.

In conclusion, Manasyan emphasized that government officials,  political and public figures, the media, and professional communities  must play an active role in both eliminating and countering  prohibited types of speech, guided by the principles of respect for  diversity in society, eliminating discrimination, fostering social  solidarity, and fostering healthy public dialogue.