Ruling MPs are busy inciting hatred, and prosecutor`s office is  silent - comment from oppositionist

ArmInfo.Many MPs from the ruling "Civil Contract" faction are busy inciting hatred and enmity. Secretary of the  "Armenia" opposition faction Artsvik Minasyan stated on May 6 from the rostrum of the National Assembly, commenting on the report of the RA Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan on the results of the supervisory body's activities in 2023.

In his speech, Minasyan drew Vardapetyan's attention to the  increasing cases of attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church. "In  recent days, it is the AAC that has found itself at the epicenter of  words of hatred and hostility. Why does our law enforcement system  ignore this fact," Minasyan said, addressing the Prosecutor General,  recalling that it was the supervisory authority that developed  instructions for its employees to combat hate speech. The MP called  on Vardapetyan to publish these criteria so that one could understand  why this definition applies only to critics of the authorities. "But  inciting hostility and hatred against the opposition by government  officials does not become a basis for initiating criminal cases,"  Minasyan said.

He also drew attention to the fact that hatred is being spread in  parliament and on social networks both against the AAC and its  servants. "Don't you have anything to say? At least call on them to  avoid this.  Obvious lies, slander - starting with Archbishop Bagrat,  ending with all the priests who support the movement. All of them  become a target for attacks, hostility and hatred," the  parliamentarian emphasized.

Since April 19, residents of Tavush villages have been holding  protests in connection with the start of the delimitation process  with Azerbaijan in the Baghanis-Berkaber villages section. One of the  active participants in the process was Primate of the Tavush diocese,  Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan. On May 4, representatives of the  "Tavush for the Motherland" movement began a march from the village  of Kirants to Yerevan. On May 9 they will be in the Armenian capital.

According to the report, 40,666 cases of crime were recorded in  Armenia in 2023,  which exceeds the 2022 figures by 8.1%. In 2023, a  decrease in crimes of minor gravity was recorded, while cases of  crimes of medium, grave and especially grave gravity increased. Last  year, 1,678 cases of especially serious crimes were recorded compared  to 880 in 2022. 546 particularly serious crimes were committed in  2023. 80.9% of 40,666 crime cases are small and medium crimes.  Particularly serious crimes account for 4.1% of the total number of  crimes committed, and serious crimes - 15%. Along with the increase  in crimes, there was a decrease in their detection rate by  approximately 15%.