Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Yerevan General Jurisdiction Court postponed the hearing of 8 August 2022 - in the frame of human rights activist Sashik Sultanyan’s case - and rescheduled it for 26 October 2022, 15:40.

Sashik Sultanyan was charged under point 1 of part 2 of Article 226 of the RA Criminal Code (incitement of national, racial or religious hatred), whereby voicing violations of the rights of Yezidis residing in Armenia was qualified as incitement of national hatred.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor advocates Ani Chatinyan, Samson Galstyan, and advocate Ara Ghazaryan protect Sashik Sultanyan’s rights in court.

The unlawful criminal prosecution against Sashik Sultanyan was denounced by Armenian human rights organizations and civil society representatives, as well as international reputable human rights organizations. The RA Human Rights Defender also expressed their concern over the case. Moreover, CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović applied to the RA Prosecutor General to get clarifications regarding this case.  

The US Department of State also addressed Sashik Sultanyan’s case in its 2021 Report on International Religious Freedoms. 

On 27 June 2022, during the meeting with Sashik Sultanyan, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy also addressed the criminal prosecution against him. Ambassador Tracy noted that freedom of expression is the bedrock on which enduring nations are built, and is critical for democracy.