Statement: words of hatred propagated by Armenian authorities against  people of Artsakh are highly reprehensible

ArmInfo.The words of hatred propagated by the Armenian authorities against the people of Artsakh are highly reprehensible. These words were also expressed in the statements of the RA Prime Minister in the National Assembly on June 12. After that, insults and incitement of hatred against the people of Artsakh, as well as their harassment, have increased in various social networks. This is stated in a joint statement by former Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan and Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan. 

"This vicious phenomenon of blaming the people of Artsakh, who have become victims of ethnic cleansing, for all the troubles and persecuting them on every issue is causing the emergence and widespread dissemination of hatred towards the people of Artsakh in society. There are many examples where this campaign is being spread and even directed by the Public Television of Armenia, which, instead of promoting the integration of the forcibly displaced people of Artsakh into Armenian society and the formation of public solidarity, becomes a participant in generating hatred towards a part of Armenians. 

Such a policy of the Public Television, as a company established by the government, makes it clear that this is a deliberate policy of the authorities," the joint statement says. The human rights activist also draws attention to the fact that, in addition to the abovementioned, many testimonies record that representatives of the Armenian police are particularly persecuting Artsakh residents detained during protests, using offensive and humiliating statements towards them, accusing citizens of Artsakh of losing Artsakh, of being "guests here", of having "no place here", etc.

"The criminal prosecutions brought against the leaders of the Artsakh communities, in particular the leaders of Stepanakert, Martakert, Askeran, Aterk, and their arrests are accompanied by obvious political patronage. They also have no legal basis.

The Armenian authorities have no authority to investigate the obligations of Artsakh community or state officials and their actions towards the state of Artsakh. The Armenian authorities have abandoned all legal, as well as political and even moral relations with Artsakh.

The persecution of the above-mentioned community leaders, who were deprived of their liberty for participating in civil assemblies, including for expressing support for these assemblies, has begun in Armenia," the statement concludes.