Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has issued the following statement:

“Citizens have been making calls for and comments about organizing protests in the premises of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on December 27 on several pages and groups on the social networks of the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, and these calls and comments are followed by comments with insults and hatred against the Catholicos of All Armenians and other clergymen and even calls for violence.

Offense, hate speech or calls for violence aren’t protected by any right and even contradict freedom of expression. Thus, such approaches are unlawful.

Moreover, the right of every person to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is guaranteed by Article 41 of the Constitution of Armenia. This right shall include the freedom to change religion or belief and, either alone or in community with others and in public or in private, the freedom to manifest them in preaching, church ceremonies, other rites of worship or in other forms.

These constitutional guarantees concern all types of beliefs in Armenia, and in the case of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, it concerns the majority of citizens.

The Armenian Holy Apostolic Church has its rules, and church ceremonies are conducted on the basis of those rules. Moreover, the exceptional mission of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church in the spiritual life of the Armenian people and in the development of national culture and preservation of the national identity is recognized by the Constitution.

The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia monitors all processes, including through monitoring at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Any act or other initiative in the country must be based on rule of law, respect for each other and the imperative for guaranteeing solidarity.”