Issue of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in Armenia raised at meeting of UN Council

Today, the video message of Ramil Iskandarli, Chairman of the Legal Analysis and Research Public Union, on "Cases of Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism in Armenia" was broadcast within the framework of the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Report informs.

The video was played during the plenary session on "The causes of religious hatred and its impact on human rights".

“Today, islamophobia and antisemitism is on the rise in Armenia. Especially, denial of the right to return the Azerbaijani refugees to Armenia, as well as the antisemitic act of vandalizm are particularly of great concern. The religious hatred is not novel to Azerbaijanis as Armenia’s anti-Azerbaijani policy wasn’t lacking in religious hatred on top of a racial one. Ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis, the complete erasion of Azerbaijani Muslim signs is a clear manifestation of deep-rooted islamophobia in Armenia. Armenia has also destroyed Azerbaijani cultural heritage: mosques and historical sites in Armenia,” Ramil Iskandarli said.

According to him, most recently act of vandalism was committed against a synagogue in Yerevan: "Unidentified individuals poured red paint on the facet of a synagogue in Armenia. Outside of the Mordechay Navi Jewish Religious Center in Yerevan and on social media pages, a text began circulating saying “every rabbi will be a target for us.”

“The coexistence of various ethnic in multicultural and diverse societies could prevent hatred which dominates in monoethnic Armenia,” he stressed.

Issue of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in Armenia raised at meeting of UN Council