Article of Armenia’s Ambassador to Netherlands published at Diplomat Magazine

The article by Armenia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Tigran Balayan, titled “Democracy and Human Rights Are Important, Even During Pandemic”, has been published at the Diplomat Magazine, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

Armenpress presents the Ambassador’s article:

“We all indeed face challenging times, when our daily surf into social media timelines and websites is focused mainly on #COVID19 and #coronavirus hashtags and new updates on infected and cured, new restrictions and lockdowns on the borders of Europe and crossroads between civilisations. Main issue underlined during all this time of pandemic is that it should in no way restrict human rights and freedoms. And a small country of 150000 people - Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) once again proved its commitments to those fundamental human rights by holding its sixth Presidential and the seventh Parliamentary Elections, since declaring its independence from Soviet Azerbaijan in 1991, fully in accordance with USSR legislation and international law.

The elections in Artsakh, along with the previous ones and in contrast to those in some neighbouring countries, once again were held in line with the international standards and are referred to as truly competitive, democratic, free and transparent.

The European Union and the advocates of democracy around the globe have a natural and logical obligation to support any democratic movement, express firm solidarity, especially in these circumstances, when different oppressive governments (including the one in Artsakh’s immediate neighborhood) are trying to use this pandemic to further tighten the circle of restrictions, thus depriving their own societies of basic liberties, suppress critical voices and opponents, expand crackdown on media. Some even go further by labeling opinions, which are not in line with the ruling elite’s position, “virus” or “fifth column’s propaganda”.

There have been many statements by democratic states underlining that the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights must remain strong principles of our societies, also in times of coronavirus and calling on all states to continue to protect access to free media and to support the free exchange of information. At the same time, societies, which despite current challenges, do not deviate from the rightful path of building pluralistic society and form legitimate authorities, should not be neglected, but encouraged.

The narrative of holding e...