In the aftermath of the 2nd Karabakh war human rights organizations and defenders were a specific target of hatred which was exacerbated during the snap parliamentary elections of June 2021. Despite of the apparent political will to undertake progressive democratic reforms, the current authorities in Armenia, in breach of their international and regional commitments, were reluctant to take effective measures to support and protect human rights defenders (HRD). The public authorities and office holders are unwilling to assume their share of responsibility vis à vis HRDs to publicly condemn the instances of incitement to violence against them and to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigation of infringements against HRDs, with disregard of calls to action coming from civil society representatives Human Rights House Yerevan, included.
As a result, a “favourable” environment of prosecution against HRDs is created. More worrisome is a relatively recent trend of prosecuting HRDs, when the law enforcement initiates so-called “examination procedure” against HRDs, based upon bogus reports usually filed by a representative of one of the far-right groups “VETO.” One such report turned into fully fledged criminal investigation in case of HRD Sashik Sultanyan. The criminal case, now in court, was initiated on the grounds of Article 226, Section 2 (Subsection 1) of the Armenian Criminal Code, i.e. inciting national hatred, committed publicly or by mass media. The criminal charge is based on some portions of an interview that Sashik Sultanyan gave to the website yezidinews.com.
Many international and regional institutions, as well as international and local organizations have called upon the Armenian authorities to terminate the unsubstantiated criminal charge against Sashik Sultnayan. Human Rights Watch, a well-known international organization, has also addressed the criminal case in question; in the Armenian section of its Annual Report 2022 it is stated: “The National Security Service, which brought the charges, wrongly characterized as “incitement” Sultanyan’s interview, which was protected speech.”
Two hearings have taken place so far, with the third one appointed on March 10, 2022. Without any intention of interfering with the delivery of justice, Human Rights House Yerevan deems it necessary to draw attention to the criminal trial against HRD Sashik Sultanyan, the President of the “Yezidi Center for Human Rights” NGO, calling upon the representations of international and regional organizations and embassies, as well as international, regional and local human rights organizations:
- to stand up for HRD Sashik Sultanyan during the criminal trial and to ensure the public oversight over the trial by observing it.
Human Rights House Yerevan
02 February 2022