Assault on Woman Filming COVID-19 Patient in Ejmiatsin

Today, I was introduced to a video made by a citizen about a woman infected with the coronavirus in Ejmiatsin. According to public reports, the author of this video was assaulted today. This was stated by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan.

“At this responsible juncture, our primary goal should be to combat the evil known as 'coronavirus' in a united atmosphere of solidarity, supporting each other rather than mocking or insulting one another. In such complex and sensitive situations, we must especially maintain maximum respect for each other, excluding any insult and attempts to demean each other's dignity. On the other hand, if a person has committed an act that apparently violates another person's rights, the matter should be reported to the relevant authorities, rather than resorting to 'self-justice.' For resolving issues of accountability, there is the state and nothing else. Legal countries are not built on preferable private solutions.

This case once again highlighted that insulting each other and degrading dignity on social networks can lead to even more dangerous consequences in real life. This is why I urge citizens not to get involved in those 'discussions' on social networks that mock, insult, or demean a person's dignity.”