Today, Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the National Assembly, called on parents in a public speech to withdraw their children from schools. This public call was widely disseminated by mass media. Moreover, by the formulation of N.Zohrabyan the call in speech is justified by the directors of schools in comparison with the criminal.
Any circumstance, including the pre-election campaign, can not justify the statements that grossly violate children's rights, including their right to education. It is particularly dangerous when such calls are made by public figures. One should always consider the child's interest as an absolute value and its distortion as a violation of the rights of the child.
The Human Rights Defender, having the right to monitor the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the authority of realisation of the prevention of violations of children’s rights and protection, consider such speeches and calls strictly unacceptable.
In today’s statement, the Human Rights Defender has already mentioned that allegedly associated recordings and related publications with public schools and kindergartens directors should become a subject of detailed examination, and assessments will be based on the result of the test.
Therefore, we encourage all parties, including political process participants, to refrain from attempts to involve children in political processes or attempts to distort the child's interests in their speeches and actions.