The vocabulary of insulting and cursing the political forces participating in the election campaign [ahead of the snap parliamentary election on June 20] is spreading very alarmingly among people. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, wrote this on Facebook.

"In particular, the rhetoric of political forces and their leaders using such vocabulary is rapidly spreading among the supporters and dissidents of each of them.

The highly reprehensible insulting and hateful videos of various political opponents are also developing alarmingly.

But the political forces that use such rhetoric simply ignore the fact that after all this, people on social media—and even outside social media—start insulting, cursing, and mocking—with the same words of insult and cursing—those who have the opposite opinion about the elections.

These political forces do not take into account that these vicious phenomena, in turn, keep the atmosphere tense, deepen polarization and intolerance in the long run. These political forces do not take into account that rhetoric insulting dignity is provocative and can turn into violence in real life.

It is necessary to stop, simply to exclude the short-sighted development and open encouragement of the agenda of mutual insult and swearing in the public sphere.

Political forces, and especially public figures, must urge everyone to respect every human right, especially dignity and freedom of expression. It is necessary to promote by one’s own example the restoration of solidarity and the guarantee of mutual respect in the country.

After all, it is obvious that if instead of raising people's real problems and discussing solutions, the agenda of swearing and insults continues to develop, people will not be able to get a clear idea of who to vote for in order to solve their vital problems and then be able to exercise oversight towards the political force that has formed public power," Tatoyan added, in particular.