Armenian Ombudsman hosting a discussion on rising xenophobic trends in the South Caucasus
“Rise in xenophobia and incitement to violence have been flourishing in the region of the South Caucasus over the recent period, as clearly demonstrated during the April war through numerous cases of brutalities and tortures,” Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan stated on Friday. The rising tide of extremism and xenophobia and the challenge it presents to human rights community is the topic of the round table discussion entitled “Xenophobia and its consequences from the human rights perspective” held in Yerevan
The discussion is attended by representatives of national minorities of Armenia well as Azerbaijani opposition journalist Shahin Mirzoyev, who was granted asylum in Yerevan following years-long persecutions from the Azerbaijani leadership.
The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh Ruben Melikyan, also attending the meeting, noted that the topic is actual not only for Armenia but Artsakh as well.
“In our activity we attach high attention to these matters. The report issued right after the April war widely reflected on issues concerning xenophobia, which served as the root cause of that war,” Melikyan said.
In his words, no optimist is left for improvement in the adverse xenophobic trends thriving in Azerbaijan judging from the open source of the neighboring state. “No matter how much we are optimist, there is little positive to be satisfied,” said Melikyan, outlining a plan to prepare a separate report covering the topic as well as initiate a fact-finding mission.
Chair of the Iranian Studies Faculty at Yerevan State University Vardan Voskanyan on his part suggested that no indigenous Muslims were able to avoid Azerbaijani assimilation policy over the years.
“In Azerbaijani any reference to own ethnic belonging is viewed as a crime,” Voskanyan reminded.
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