On July 15, the Regional Center for Democracy and Security (RCSD) sent a letter to the heads of diplomatic missions of the European Union member states accredited in Armenia, other countries of the Schengen area, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada, calling for targeted sanctions, including visa restrictions, against those who have systematically spread hate speech against forcibly displaced refugees from Nagorno Karabakh.

The letter mentions five individuals: Roman Baghdasaryan, Aram Avetisyan, Anita Harutyunyan, Tatul Asilyan, and Ara Nersisyan, whose public statements and online activities have included xenophobic rhetoric, collective labeling, and calls for social isolation of refugees.

The PRC notes that these individuals were selected from a wider range of reported cases, given the particularly extreme nature of their rhetoric, the size of their public audience, and the role they played in fueling hostility towards forcibly displaced populations.

The letter argues that given the continued inaction and failure of domestic institutions to ensure accountability, the use of targeted measures by international partners will help prevent the spread of hatred and discrimination. The letter also includes links to the monthly reports of the PRC for March-June 2026.

The People’s Democratic Party to continue its work for the protection of the rights of refugees from Artsakh and democratic inclusion.

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