The present day challenges in the country call for exceptional
efforts from all of us to aim for solidarity, and to be respectful of each
other's dignity and viewpoints. It is necessary that we reject any tension
heightening developments.
1. Public authorities and officials must be exemplary in their
words and conduct for the sake of solidarity and unity, regardless of political
or other views. By the same token, public figures also play an important role.
The formula is clear. The Ombudsman’s requirements for incumbent
officials are strict, as these individuals have a specific legal status and are
limited by the exhaustive limits of that status.
But that does not mean that unofficial public figures are above
reproach. The imperative of ensuring a common atmosphere of solidarity in the
country requires especially that those with public recognition to exemplify
exemplary speech and behavior.
2. When uttering any word or phrase, be sure to include all
possible contexts and figurative meanings of that word or phrase. This is
especially true during these critical and sensitive times.
Particularly commendable are those public figures and human
rights defenders who, through their actions and words, prevent any escalation
of tension, demonstrate the unacceptability of violence, and promote public
solidarity.
3. Officials and public figures should not post or comment on or
make speeches that are directly or indirectly offensive or hateful.
4. Unfortunately, the observation of social networks shows that
they are dangerous to the point of hatred and insult, spreading calls and
threats of violence, even inciting internal enmity in comments and posts. All
this is facilitating the spread of hatred and insults through organized fake
pages and users on social media platforms.
Therefore, I ask everyone not to get involved in such
"discussions" on social networks. Please do not pay attention to the
provocations that involve you in these "discussions", just ignore
them. With the hatred that spreads through them, the atmosphere in the country
only gets more tense.
5. Human dignity should not be insulted and hatred should not be
spread towards each other. It increases tension and increases the likelihood of
violence in real life.
We must always remember that each of us has the right to express
our opinion freely and we must respect each other's words and opinions,
observing these rules ourselves.
6. Throughout this process, the state bodies must perform their
duties in good faith, acting within the limits of their mandates.
Direct communication with citizens should be ensured to prevent
any kind of misinformation; and, any misinformation leading to tension should
be responded to immediately.
Law enforcement agencies must be vigilant to prevent and/or rule
out any unlawful act within their competence, but only on one condition:
ensuring full compliance with the rule of law in their own actions and equal
treatment of all circumstances.
7. I once again urge all media organizations and journalists to
pay special attention to the discussions that take place under the
publications, to remove comments that contain insults and hatred, and
expressions that degrade dignity.
The problem has become so urgent that it is necessary to
allocate additional resources to solve it.
In addition, when making any publication, it is necessary to pay
attention to the verification of information; pay more attention to the choice
of headlines; and, act in accordance with the principles of responsible
journalism.
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