Ombudsman condemns hate speech in political discourse

PanARMENIAN.Net - Human Rights Defender of Armenia Anahit Manasyan stated that public discourse in Armenia is increasingly marked by discriminatory, intolerant, and hateful language that targets and labels various social groups. She emphasized that this trend becomes especially widespread ahead of elections and infiltrates political debate, which she deemed unacceptable.

Manasyan pointed out that degrading and offensive language is frequently used in politics against women, people with disabilities, religious groups, and ethnic minorities.

“In recent days, there has been widespread discussion around language that labels women with gender-based stereotypes and undermines their dignity... Unfortunately, gender bias and distorted perceptions of women’s roles remain deeply rooted in society,” the statement read.

The ombudsperson condemned all such expressions and stressed that there is a lack of sufficient public and legal responses to them, which contributes to their normalization and spread.

She also highlighted the issue of society’s failure to grasp the real dangers of discriminatory speech. In some cases, responses to such speech are made on similarly discriminatory grounds, resulting in more labeling and insults.

Manasyan deemed unacceptable any speech that targets individuals with mental health conditions or uses ethnicity or religion—such as the words “Turk” or “Yezidi”—as slurs.

The statement also addressed hate speech against representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and other religious organizations, as well as the public perception of ongoing legal proceedings related to such speech.

The ombudsperson stressed that law enforcement communication regarding these cases must be clear, legally grounded, and handled with maximum sensitivity to avoid the impression that religious beliefs are being ignored.

She added that the issue of protecting the religious freedoms of individuals deprived of liberty remains a priority for her office and requires a systemic, conceptual approach for resolution.

In her concluding appeal, Manasyan called on all stakeholders—politicians, public figures, media professionals, and experts—to:

• Eliminate discriminatory, labeling, and hateful speech from public and political discourse,
• Strictly uphold human rights standards,
• Promote societal harmony and respect for diversity.

She reaffirmed that such manifestations of public speech can never be justified and must be met with a proportionate response.