ECRI: Words "Azerbaijani" and "Turk" used to denigrate political opponents in Armenia

Incidents of incitement to hatred and calls to violence are periodically registered in the political and public life of Armenia.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Caliber.Az that this is stated in a report on Armenia, prepared by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).

As an example of inciting hatred in Armenia, ECRI cites the use of the words "Azerbaijani" and "Turk" to denigrate political opponents in order to stir internal disagreements and hinder peace negotiations. At the same time the report stresses that the Azerbaijani community no longer exists in Armenia and the number of Turks residing or visiting the country is unknown.

Among the two interim and 15 main recommendations given by ECRI to the Armenian side, a special place belongs to recommendations to the leadership of the country to educate about the importance of diversity and tolerance in society, to ensure responses to hate speech through political, public, religious figures and influential people, to establish rules of conduct for political parties, and through reforms in education to eliminate discrimination based on ethnicity and religion.