ArmInfo. The issue of dismissing MP from the Prosperous Armenia opposition faction Naira Zohrabyan from the post of chair of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs is discussing at extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly of Armenia on December 29. The ruling My Step faction put this initiative forward.
Justifying the draft decision of the National Assembly, Artur Hovhannisyan, MP from the ruling faction, noted that separate criteria for the election of the chair of the Committee are not stipulated, which an applicant must meet. Often, decisions to nominate a candidate who is elected by secret ballot are made on the basis of mutual consent of the factions. This mechanism, as a rule, is used when electing the speaker of parliament, his deputies, heads of committees and their deputies. "The "My Step" faction, remaining true to the principle of transparency, considers it impossible for Naira Zohrabyan to continue to serve as chair of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs," the MP said. He added that the decision was based on two posts by Naira Zohrabyan on the social network Facebook.
In particular, in the post of December 17, she wrote the following: "I hate you rubbish (meaning the electorate of RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Ed. Note), for bringing your own kind to power, the one who is gradually closing the page of our statehood ". The second post, dated December 22, reads: "The number one problem in the country is ignorance. After Nikol's resignation and the end of the period of nicholism, we will, yes, forcibly enlighten also this part of society so that during the elections it does not bring its mirror image to power. I will not give the homeland to this dirty mess (meaning people).
" According to Artur Hovhannisyan, MP Naira Zohrabyan has repeatedly made such statements. Meanwhile, the Constitution of Armenia clearly states that the power in the country belongs to the people, who exercise their choice through free expression of their will in elections and referendums. The person in the country is the highest value. Respect and protection of human rights is the responsibility of society.
"Thus, by her statements that humiliate human dignity and human rights, classify people into groups, Naira Zohrabyan violated the rights of citizens enshrined in the Constitution of the country, and has no right to hold the post of chair of the parliamentary committee, whose main task is to protect human rights," the MP said. He added that the "My Step" faction proposes to deprive Naira Zohrabyan of the post of head of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, thereby sending a signal to citizens about the intransigence of the National Assembly in matters related to the protection of human rights and their right to free expression.