All the political forces participating in the
extraordinary parliamentary elections should exclude the use of insults and
swearwords, and speeches inciting hate and violence. This demand specifically
refers to public figures, and especially those who hold public offices and represent
the state.
Specifically, it is highly condemnable the use
of such vocabulary by the acting Prime Minister near the participants of the
election process (for example, “wolf pack”, “outcast”) which directly
contributes to the increase in the political and public polarization, and
undermines the prospect of restoring solidarity in the country.
Moreover, the use of rhetoric such as
exchanging the “velvet” with an “iron mandate” or “a steel mandate” and
“breaking the teeth of the wolf pack” is absolutely unacceptable from the view
point of human rights.: This does not only create division lines in the
society, but, in whatever way it is interpreted, it is associated with violence
and even revenge, bringing with it risks of it transformation from rhetoric
into reality.
Since the country is in a state of electoral
process, these statements maybe conceived as threats by the person exercising
the mandate derived from the highest state status (high-ranking official)
against their opponents, which is unacceptable, taking into consideration their
political rights.
The
specific reference of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia to the acting Prime
Minister is made since he is primarily perceived as the acting head of the
executive authority of Armenia, and not a political figure, and is excessing
the powers deriving from that status: For this reason, as well, his monitoring
falls within the direct competence of the Human Rights Defender
It is by the virtue of this status that the
words of the acting Prime Minister of Armenia may be misperceived by the
public, as well as by the state bodies and primarily by the law enforcement
bodies.
Moreover, the monitoring of the Human Rights
Defender evidences that on social media, where the words of the acting Prime
Minister were spread with such headlines, insults, hate speech, swearing words
and mutual accusations were recorded between social network users.
Unfortunately, the artificial discourse of
mutual stereotyping is increasing in the public sphere; this is an unacceptable
agenda of creating discrimination and dividing the society into groups.
The
observations of the Office of the Human Rights Defender evidence that this
situation is further deepened by the targeted attacks organized by the fake
pages and users on social networks that support both the authorities and
certain circles of the opposition
Therefore, I call upon all the political
forces, public figures, and specifically persons who represent the state to
refrain from acts that polarize the society and increase the existing tensions,
and refrain from using words that are insulting, and spread hate and violence.
Instead, healthy discussions should be organized.
The extraordinary parliamentary elections of
the Republic of Armenia are, and will continue to be under the direct attention
of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.
Mr. Arman Tatoyan
The Human Rights
Defender of Armenia
Հայերեն
