Armenia`s first Human Rights Defender: State-sponsored hate speech  against Artsak people  threatens all Armenians

ArmInfo. The incitement of hatred by Armenian authorities against the people of Artsakh is not just a local issue, but a serious danger to the entire Armenian people, as stated by Armenia's first Human Rights Defender, Larisa Alaverdyan, at a panel discussion on incitement to hatred and discrimination against the Artsakh people.

Acording to the human rights activist, the actions of the Armenian  authorities against the population of Artsakh are one of the tools  used against all Armenians. She also noted that the actions of the  Armenian authorities, and in particular Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan, violate not only the country's Constitution but also the  ruling "Civil Contract" party's code of ethics, which, among other  things, stipulates honesty and the absence of discrimination and  hatred. "The authorities' actions also pose a serious threat to the  country's internal security. It's worth noting  that international  organizations define the concept of 'state- sponsored incitement to  hatred,' but there is no such concept as state-sponsored incitement  to hatred.  Meanwhile, today we are essentially faced with a  situation where incitement to hatred is carried out by specific  individuals," Alaverdyan noted.

According to the human rights activist, the international community  is quietly observing this and is aware of what is happening, but is  doing nothing, and sometimes even complicit in the authorities'  actions.  "Today, in Armenia, incitement to hatred is perpetrated by  the authorities and supported by globalist centers. Therefore, we  should not expect a proportionate international response. However,  this does not mean we should not appeal to them with clear demands.  After all, if we do not appeal to international courts, this could be  perceived as our consent to the current situation," the human rights  activist emphasized.

In turn, Artsakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan noted that incitement to  hatred against the people of Artsakh has intensified amid political  processes in Armenia, especially in the context of the country's  upcoming parliamentary elections. In this regard, he said that he  only recently learned of a case in which a patrol service fined an  Artsakh resident for having the flag of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic  on his car's license plate. He noted that this is the first such  case. "Furthermore, we have received reports that the international  community is receiving signals that the people of Artsakh no longer  need support, since the country's authorities are resolving all  problems independently," Stepanyan added. Speaking about what should  be done in this situation, the Artsakh Ombudsman noted that in a  situation where legal mechanisms no longer function, public censure  plays a major role. In this regard, he recalled how Armenian  Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan were forced to issue public apologies after significant  societal backlash following derogatory remarks. 

It should be noted that this is the first discussion organized by the  Artsakh Public Council, formed on February 6, 2026. It should be  added that, against the backdrop of the upcoming parliamentary  elections in Armenia, scheduled for June 7, 2026, attacks against the  people of Artsakh have recently increased.  Moreover, Artsakhphobia  is largely fueled by representatives of the ruling party or media  outlets controlled by them, as well as supporters of the current  Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan.