Head of HCA Vanadzor office, Arthur Sakunts, argues that the section regarding Armenia in the “Religious Freedom” 2013 report published by the U.S. State Department presents the reality. “If the State Department does not verify the data, it will not publish them. Also, Wikileaks’s publications prove that the State Department is adequately informed on matters of its interest and has proper information, which are provided first of all by public authorities. Up to the senior officials.
All the doubts about reliability of information for the research obtained by human rights defenders are unsubstantiated, because there is no more public structure other than the human rights organizations that functions in Armenia. The human rights organizations regularly publish information on human rights violations rather than hiding them. Based on these data, investigations are conducted and trials begin. We cannot use or publish any data that is not substantiated. The links that we provide false information for grants is obviously false and intends to discredit the human rights organizations.
Although phenomena like Amaryans cannot affect public opinion. It was the least that the KGB agent estimates the human rights organization’s activities,” said Mr. Sakunts to Aravot.am. According to him, the intolerance in Armenia, by religious and political views affiliation, is great. “It is enshrined by the national security strategy that the Apostolic Church is one of the important security institutions. Such an approach is already contrary to the Constitution, according to which, the church is separated both from the state and the church.” He is also considered the statement made weeks ago by Defense Minister, Seyran Ohanyan, a manifestation of intolerance, saying that the soldiers in the position representing non Apostolic Church are dangerous in terms of defense and security. “It is a true discrimination attitude. Because, the soldier’s religious beliefs should not be important for the Defense Minister, but his military preparedness, his legal protectiveness.”
Mr. Sakunts ensures that the followers of religious organizations in Armenia are still called sectarians and are subjected to discrimination, as noted in the report. At the end, he added that such reports enable to identify the problems and to take action in that direction and we should not always refute them every time.
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Arpine SIMONYAN
