Use of hate speech based on ethnicity or nationality is not allowed: Ombudswoman

Monitoring of the media and social platforms by the Office of the Human Rights Defender shows that hate speech on the basis of ethnic or national affiliation has recently gained a lot of popularity. Moreover, in a number of cases specific ethnicity or nationality is used as an insult.

 

The Defender emphasizes that the use of such speech is inadmissible. The state must take necessary measures to exclude hate speech based on ethnic or national origin. Public and political figures, in their turn, should exclude the use of such speech, and mass media should avoid its dissemination.

 

The Defender also emphasizes the importance of taking necessary and sufficient steps to protect and promote the rights of national minorities, which was referred in the 2023 annual report of the Human Rights Defender. Any discrimination against national minorities should be excluded in the Republic of Armenia.

 

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has also addressed the widespread ethnic and national hate speech in Armenia, notting the need to take concrete steps to eliminate it, underlining the necessity of taking steps towards rooting respect for diversity in society through education and preventing discrimination against any person or group of persons on the basis of ethnic or national origin.