The RA Human Rights Defender’s Office responded to the scandalous incident that took place in Yerevan’s Saint Anna Church with the participation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The defender’s representatives visited the arrested, reaffirming the right to freedom of speech and criticizing the authorities, but strongly condemning any manifestation of violence and hate speech.
on March 30, Anahit Manasyan on the assignment, the working group visited the place of detention of the arrested persons of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The human rights defenders had private conversations with the citizens and studied the documents about them in detail. The department assures that it will take all necessary measures within its powers to guarantee the fundamental rights of individuals, demanding an independent, comprehensive and objective investigation of the case.
The Ombudsman emphasized that everyone has the right to freely express their opinion, but it should never be combined with physical confrontations or preaching of intolerance. At the same time, HRH strongly urged the law enforcement agencies to act exclusively according to the principle of legality and refrain from using disproportionate force.
Anahit Manasyan also expressed deep concern regarding the growing volume of hate speech in Armenian public discourse, warning that it poses a serious threat to public solidarity, and called for joint efforts to fight against this vicious phenomenon.
Let’s remind that the incident was registered on March 29, when the prime minister was trying to leave the church, accompanied by security guards, after a mass mass. A young man from the audience, upset by the push, demanded not to push him. He then said, “Don’t look at me like that,” and reportedly tried to slap the head of government. Nikol Pashinyan ordered the bodyguards not to react to the situation.
After the incident, the police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the arrest of two people, suspecting them of hooliganism and interfering with the legal official’s official and political activities.
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