On the patchwork multinational map of the Caucasus, the territory of Armenia looks pale - the country has become one of the most mono-ethnic and mono-confessional in the world. Experts have long explained many of Armenia's problems by squeezing out other peoples and creating an area with a 100% mono-ethnic Armenian population. Yerevan seems to support communities of other confessions, but in reality, the situation is different.
For example, last year the National Security Service of Armenia filed a criminal case against Sashik Sultanyan, who supports the rights of the Yezidi community in Armenia. He was accused of inciting ethnic and religious hatred after his online interview. Now the human rights defender faces from three to six years in prison.
Sultanyan heads the non-governmental Yezidi Center for Human Rights. In June last year, in an interview with Yazidinews.com, the human rights activist said that Yezidis are underrepresented in local government structures, discriminated and do not have an opportunity to learn their language or develop their culture. Sultanyan also stated that Armenian entrepreneurs seized agricultural land in Yezidi villages, and the authorities in their turn do not protect the rights of the Yezidis, so the community lives in fear. These statements attracted the attention of the Armenian special services, and on October 3, 2020, the SNB filed a criminal case against the activist, and later confiscated three computers, one of which belonged to a member of his family, two telephones and several USB drives.
The case looks shaky, therefore it attracted the attention of international human rights structures. First, the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch called on the Armenian authorities to stop prosecuting Sultanyan, stating that false allegations were made against him. "Although the Armenian authorities may disagree with the content of Sultanyan's interview, the opinion he expresses is legal and protected by international law," Giorgi Gogia, HRW Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia said. ”All the allegations against Sultanyan should be immediately dropped and it has to be guaranteed that no one will unreasonably interfere in his legitimate human rights activities. The Armenian authorities violate Sultanyan's right to freedom of expression." The human rights organization also noted that the criminal case is full of procedural shortcomings that undermine Sultanyan's right to a fair trial.
Needless to say, Yerevan does not listen to Human Rights Watch. But this week, UN experts made a similar statement, saying that "It is not incitement to hatred or violence to raise human rights concerns about the treatment of minorities." UN human rights activists called on the Armenian authorities to drop criminal charges against Sultanyan, which, according to experts, are an attempt to intimidate the activist and everyone who supports minority rights. "People like Mr. Sultanyan and his organisation perform a valuable role by bringing human rights issues to the attention of the Armenian authorities," the experts said.
"The government should discuss grievances about their participation in society directly with the Yezidis and other minorities, not use spurious criminal charges to try to silence them," UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor and Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of rights to freedom of expression Irene Khan wrote.
