Use of offensive terms like 'scum' and 'zombies' by public figures is unacceptable: Human Rights Defender

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia has issued a statement regarding the obligation of respect for human rights systems by both the government and the opposition. The publication emphasizes that the current external and internal challenges require solidarity and unity, respect for each other's rights, including the right to opinion, regardless of political or other views.

From this perspective, both public authority bodies and their opponents play a crucial role in ensuring the content of public-political discussions and public discourse. Each individual's potential should serve our priorities, such as ensuring the realization of socio-economic rights in a post-war situation, ensuring the grounds for the criminal responsibility of the Azerbaijani armed forces for rights violations against our compatriots and war crimes, and so forth.

Unfortunately, a discourse has been established and continues in our country, labeling discussions as 'new and old' or 'black and white', which constitutes an unacceptable agenda for dividing society into groups and sowing discrimination. Additionally, it is intolerable for government bodies and officials to use such vocabulary (often addressed to no one), which has gained wide public circulation and further contributed to deepening the atmosphere of intolerance in the country (for example, terms such as 'pizza eater', 'traitor', etc.).

I especially highlight the responsibility of government bodies and officials, as they are ultimately responsible in a broad sense for the content of public dialogue and discussions, the country's priorities, as well as overcoming intolerance.

It is extremely concerning that various circles of political or social opposition overlook the requirements of the human rights system, further contributing to the deepening of intolerance and thereby increasing tension. The development and even encouragement of an agenda aimed at dividing society into groups and insulting people, characterized by the vocabulary used by certain segments of the political opposition, is condemnable. For instance, it is unacceptable for publicly recognized figures to use expressions that insult part of society, such as 'scum', 'zombies', and others.

The long-term and targeted observations of the Human Rights Defender's office indicate that this unacceptable situation is further compounded by organized and targeted attacks conducted through fake pages and accounts on social networks (especially Facebook) that support both government bodies and various circles of the opposition. These pages and accounts operate in groups and with specific instructions, insulting individuals, disrespecting their dignity, and inciting threats and violence.

In general, it is absolutely unacceptable to incorporate the 'culture' of insults and threats into public discourse. It is highly condemnable that during governmental rule, social media attacks are organized or coordinated by high-ranking officials. Furthermore, according to well-founded assumptions by specialists in the Human Rights Defender's office, some of these officials personally run fake pages and disseminate hate, threats, and insults from those accounts.

As a result, the entire Armenian segment of social media has been flooded with insult-laden offenses, mutual threats, and hate speech, fundamentally violating the requirements of the human rights system. Unfortunately, these detrimental phenomena have significantly increased over the past few years, acquiring a systematic and institutional nature.

I had hoped that during these responsible days such developments would be excluded, and we would be united, considering the imperative of valuing our unity, respecting each other's rights, and resolving all issues based on that principle. However, not only did this not happen, but we currently face a situation that grossly violates people's rights (such as mental integrity, the right to private and family life, etc.), is harmful to the health of society and the atmosphere of solidarity in the country, and disrupts our country's security during these days.

The socio-political system must constantly uphold human rights as universal high values and be guided by the principle of respect for these rights, including respect for other people's opinions. Therefore, we must act with respect for the human rights system, correctly define our priorities these days, and remain united for the sake of these priorities and for the rights of each of us, relying on our own powerful potential,” the Human Rights Defender stated in the publication.