In conditions of extreme political polarization, civil society representatives are being targeted, subjected to online attacks and labeled whenever they express views that are unwelcome to one political force or another public actor, effectively turning into a form of informal “censorship,” Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan said on her Facebook page.
She added that such developments are unacceptable.
“Any attempt to interfere in the activities of civil society representatives and human rights defenders aimed at strengthening the rule of law and democratic values, to restrict their independent work and positions, or to spread intolerance toward them is unacceptable and threatens the normal development of a democratic society,” the statement said.
Manasyan described such phenomena as deeply alarming and stressed that the existence of an independent, free and principled civil society is a necessary prerequisite for the rule of law and effective protection of human rights.
“Civil society cannot be subject to any political influence, and the independence and effectiveness of its activities cannot be evaluated in the context of fulfilling the will or satisfying the wishes of political forces and other public actors,” she wrote.
According to her, many non-governmental organizations operating in Armenia play an important role in protecting vulnerable groups and ensuring public oversight, which she described as an important achievement for the state. However, she stressed that legal freedom of activity alone is insufficient and that the state is also obliged to ensure their physical and informational security.
“In today’s extremely polarized environment, civil society representatives are targeted, subjected to online attacks and labeled whenever they express a viewpoint that is not acceptable to one political force or another public actor. Alongside the evident expansion of the space for free expression, this has effectively become a method of informal ‘censorship,’” Manasyan noted.
She called on all political and public actors to immediately stop such attacks and contribute to overcoming the situation.
At the same time, she emphasized that the state bears primary responsibility for ensuring a safe and supportive working environment for human rights defenders and civil society representatives.
The election campaign that began on May 8 will continue until June 5. June 6 will be a day of silence, while elections will be held on June 7.
