Legal Proceedings Initiated Over Hate Speech Against Artsakh Residents

The court has mandated the initiation of criminal proceedings regarding calls for national hatred directed at Artsakh residents. This was stated by lawyer Roman Yeritsyan in a conversation with Sputnik Armenia.

Based on the report he submitted, such a decision was made by judge Samvel Yuzbashyan of the Yerevan Criminal Court. “A Facebook user named Arsen Arshakyan wrote on his page that according to Metaksyan Hakobyan (a member of the Artsakh Parliament), half of the Artsakh residents have left the Republic of Armenia, and God willing, it should be such that they do not return,” Yeritsyan noted.

He added that the investigative body had previously refused to initiate proceedings, as did the prosecutor, but now the court has ordered that proceedings be initiated.

Yeritsyan also mentioned that a similar decision was recently made by the judge of the RA Court of Appeals, Adriene Ghukasyan, based on public statements made that “the road in Goris should be closed so that the Artsakh residents would die.” Earlier, both the investigative body and the prosecutor had also refused to initiate proceedings, and the First Instance Court had issued a refusal as well.

He pointed out that he has also appealed to the court regarding one of the statements made by Ani Khachatryan, a member of the Yerevan City Council from the “Republic” faction. Following a brawl involving the Nor-Nork district head on April 30, Khachatryan stated that she is proud of her team’s men.

“She publicly justified violence,” Yeritsyan added. The lawyer also stated that in this case, the investigative body had refused to initiate proceedings, but he appealed to the court, and the court has upheld his appeal, obligating them to initiate proceedings (although he has not yet received the court's decision).