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.