The Office
of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has recorded calls and posts on several
pages and groups of social networks, which relate to organizing protests in the
territory of the Mother See today, on December 27. These calls and posts are
accompanied by insults, hate speech, and even calls for violence against the Catholicos
of All Armenians, and other clergies.
Insult,
hate speech or calls for violence are not protected by any right and contradict
freedom of expression. They are not allowed by any international requirement as
well. Therefore, such approaches are illegal.
Moreover,
in the Republic of Armenia the right of every person to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion is guaranteed by Article 41 of the Constitution. This
right, according to the Constitution, includes the freedom to change religion
or belief, either alone or in community with others and in public or in
private, the freedom to manifest them in preaching, church ceremonies, other
rites of worship or in other forms.
These
constitutional guarantees apply to all types of religions in Armenia, and in
the case of the Armenian Apostolic Church, it refers to the majority of
citizens.
The
Armenian Apostolic Church has its rules; church ceremonies are based on them,
the free implementation of which our state has guaranteed by the Constitution
and laws.
Moreover,
the unique mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the spiritual life of
the Armenian people, and the development of its national culture and the
preservation of the national identity are recognized at the level of the
Constitution.
The Office
of the Human Rights Defender's of Armenia monitors all processes, including
through the monitoring in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In
our country, any action and other initiatives must be based on the rule of law,
respect for each other and the imperative of guaranteeing solidarity.
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