In the Investigation Department of the RA National Security Service the preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on the fact of committing actions aimed at inciting national hatred using mass media  has been completed.

In the course of a comprehensive and effective investigation of the criminal case, a body of interrelated, reliable and sufficient evidence was obtained that S.S., a Yezidi by nationality, being the chairman of a human rights non-governmental organization registered in the Republic of Armenia, publicly committed actions aimed at inciting national hatred between the Yezidis - a national minority, a historically formed group with their own special national and ethnic identity in the Republic of Armenia - and the Armenians, who are traditionally in good-neighborly relations with them.

In particular, the latter, being aware and convinced that the Republic of Armenia, in the face of state and local self-government bodies, ensures the rights of national minorities living in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, including Yezidis, to preserve their national and ethnic identity, the right to preserve and develop their traditions, religion, language and culture, enshrined in the RA Constitution, international treaties and other legal acts arising from them, had the goal of spreading such views and ideas that in society will create a negative image of Armenians and the Republic of Armenia, undermine trust and respect, sow mutual mistrust, hatred and contempt between Armenians and Yezidis.

With all of this in view, the mentioned person in May 2020, using the media "yezidinews.com" operating in the Republic of Iraq, in an interview with this site provided false information. According to this information, the aforementioned human rights defender, with the help of this foreign information service, presented the Republic of Armenia as a state that manifests national discrimination in political, economic, social, cultural and other spheres of public life, which is allegedly expressed in the trampling by Armenians of the rights and freedoms of the Yezidis conditioned by nationality, violation of the right to the Yezidis to practice their religion in public or private or in any other form, gross violations and restrictions of the right to life, property rights, the right to preserve their identity and traditions by the Yezidis, the right to education and the freedom to use the language. In accordance with this, the human rights defender, using the media, committed actions aimed at inciting national hatred between the Armenian and Yezidi peoples.

On 29 July, 2021, the criminal case with an indictment was sent to the RA General Prosecutor's Office with a petition for its approval and sending the case to the court for its consideration on the merits.

The RA National Security Service warns that it will conduct consistent and uncompromising fight in the direction of preventing and detecting crimes against public security, and reminds that actions aimed at inciting national, racial or religious hatred, promoting racial superiority or humiliation of national dignity are considered criminal acts , for whom the RA Criminal Code provides for imprisonment for up to 6 years as a punishment.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.