Condemnation of Threats and Attempts to Coerce Armenian Citizens, Says Human Rights Defender

It is absolutely condemnable to make any attempts to communicate threats of violence or to demand compliance from Armenian citizens from positions of intimidation. Such actions are a direct violation of international human rights law and grossly infringe upon rights that are internationally recognized and guaranteed by the Constitution of Armenia. This was stated by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, on his Facebook page.

Specifically, he noted: “Any measures regarding the announced unblocking of economic and transport connections that pertain to our country must be conducted with a high guarantee of the rights of the citizens of Armenia, primarily those residents of border settlements.”

“The actions or decisions of the highest bodies of state governance in the Republic of Armenia must be based on how much those actions or decisions ensure the rule of law in our country. This, in turn, means solid guarantees for the life, property, and all other rights of every person living in Armenia, with full protection from all risks in real life.”

“It is fundamentally important that the implementation of any provisions from the 9th point of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, and the subsequent provisions of the trilateral statement of January 11, 2021, must necessarily take into account the fact that the highest bodies of the Azerbaijani government have pursued a policy of ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Artsakh, continue to do so, and daily exacerbate propaganda of hatred against Armenians, openly threatening genocide against the Armenian people.”

It is absolutely condemnable to make any attempts to communicate threats of violence or to demand compliance from Armenian citizens from positions of intimidation. Such actions directly violate international human rights law and grossly infringe upon rights that are internationally recognized and guaranteed by the Constitution of Armenia.

Moreover, if any provision of an international act leads to actions or decisions that infringe on the rights of the residents of Armenia in the short-term or long-term, they cannot have any legal force, will violate the rule of law, and thus also the Constitution of Armenia.

These are our state obligations to every person living in Armenia, obligations that our state has assumed to protect human rights and which directly follow from the international treaties it has signed and ratified.