Artsakh Public Council member: Hate speech is a political tool for  2026 elections

ArmInfo. Hate propaganda against Artsakh residents is being used by the Armenian authorities  to divide society and silence people ahead of the parliamentary elections, as stated by Artsakh Public Council member Nare Simonyan  at a panel discussion on incitement to hatred and discrimination against residents of Artsakh. 

According to her, their observations show that the Armenian  authorities aim to find the main culprits for their failures, which  are elements that carry national identity, including the people of  Artsakh, as well as the Armenian Apostolic Church and national  structures. She also noted that incitement to hatred specifically  against the people of Artsakh either precedes or occurs after  important events. As an example, she cited the authorities' attacks  on the Armenian Apostolic Church that began in earnest after  Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II raised the issue of the return  of the people of Artsakh, Armenian prisoners of war, and the rights  of the people of Artsakh  in Switzerland. "After that, a campaign  against the Armenian Apostolic Church began, and the propaganda of  hatred against the people of Artsakh intensified," Simonyan noted.

Simonyan expressed her conviction that all these actions are a  pre-election move aimed at dividing society.  In this regard, she  noted that statements about the ungrateful people of Artsakh are  usually voiced by the authorities when the public is dissatisfied  with some of their actions. "This is a specific tool used to silence  people. As a result, it creates the impression that if the people of  Artsakh are dissatisfied with the authorities, then they are  dissatisfied with the entire Armenian nation. This is not true, and  we constantly emphasize that we will always be grateful for  everything the Armenian people have done for us. However, the  Armenian authorities have failed to fulfill their obligations, and  they know it. In an attempt to avoid responsibility, they are trying  to shift state functions to the Armenian people," the member of the  Artsakh Public Council clarified.

In this situation, she said, it is important to patiently explain  what is happening and respond competently to propaganda. "Despite the  fact that it is very difficult to combat this legally, it is  necessary to initiate legal proceedings. Even if they remain  unanswered, we will have documented cases of violations that have  occurred under the current government, which may be useful in the  future," Simonyan concluded.

 It should be noted that, against the backdrop of the upcoming  parliamentary elections in Armenia, scheduled for June 7, 2026,  attacks against the people of Artsakh have recently increased in  frequency, with Artsakhphobia being largely fueled by representatives  of the ruling party or media outlets controlled by them, as well as  supporters of the current Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan.