Remarks by Ambassador Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations at the Commemorative meeting of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

21 March, 2025

Mr. President,
Excellencies,

Thank you for the opportunity to reflect on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Over the past six decades, this landmark convention has served as a cornerstone in the global fight against discrimination, setting legal and moral standards for the protection of human dignity, equality, and fundamental freedoms.

Domestically, Armenia continues to implement and develop national strategies and action plans aimed at addressing discrimination, hate speech, and intolerance. The National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights (2023-2025) prioritizes equality, the prohibition of discrimination, and the strengthening of legal frameworks to safeguard vulnerable groups.
Armenia is steadfast in its commitment to upholding these principles. Our efforts are guided by the belief that a society built on equality and non-discrimination is essential for sustainable peace and democracy, even in the face of the unprecedented rise of challenges that have been testing the resilience of our society and institutions.

The ethnic cleansing of more than 115,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023 — have demonstrated the utter disregard towards international humanitarian and human rights law, including the provisions of the Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The violation of the provisions of CERD have been further intensified by systematic online and offline hate campaigns, aimed at dehumanizing ethnic Armenians. Beyond rhetoric, this has translated into real-world persecution, including the ill-treatment, unlawful detention, and sham trials of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees in Azerbaijan, where fabricated charges serve as tools of intimidation and collective punishment.

Mr. President,

Armenia remains committed to combating all forms of discrimination and xenophobia, including those that manifest through digital platforms and state-sponsored rhetoric. In the fight against hate speech, Armenia’s new Criminal Code includes provisions criminalizing incitement to hatred based on ethnicity, religion, or other protected characteristics. Additionally, the Audiovisual Media Law, which came into force in 2020, mandates the prohibition of discriminatory content in media broadcasts, ensuring that public discourse remains free from racist or xenophobic narratives.

Armenia has consistently demonstrated its commitment to strengthening the international human rights framework by ratifying key treaties and adopting progressive legal reforms. In recent years, Armenia has ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure, and the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Despite the significant progress made, Armenia recognizes that the fight against racial discrimination is an ongoing process. We are committed to enhancing cooperation to promote intercultural dialogue and regional stability, particularly in the face of rising xenophobia and intolerance.

As we mark the 60th anniversary of CERD, Armenia stands in solidarity with the international community in reaffirming our collective responsibility to combat discrimination and build societies rooted in equality, justice, and respect for human dignity.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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