Georg Petrosyan Expresses Discontent Over Online Abuse, Arthur Davtyan Proposes Solution

During a discussion of the report on the "Activities of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Armenia in 2018" in the National Assembly's Permanent Committee on State and Legal Affairs, Georg Petrosyan, a member of the Prosperous Armenia faction, asked the Prosecutor General of Armenia, Arthur Davtyan, what measures are being taken to prevent online hooliganism.

"Today, the police are exhibiting inexplicable inaction; if those who manage fake pages cannot be punished, it has reached the point where real accounts are slinging the most vile insults towards MPs and political figures, and it is unacceptable that in such cases, law enforcement agencies show inaction," he said.

Georg Petrosyan noted that, of course, it could be argued that there are difficulties in qualifying the act as hooliganism. "Nevertheless, I want to point out that today, political processes are accompanied by blatant hooligan behavior, while the relevant authorities are doing nothing to prevent online hooliganism," he stated.

Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan remarked that such posts are undoubtedly unpleasant not only for officials but for every person, and he also cannot welcome the phenomenon.

"But I do not agree that law enforcement agencies are inaction; according to the law and their duties, they maintain neutrality and are doing well, because that is how you have mandated it, and insults cannot be considered hooliganism," he said.

Arthur Davtyan added that it is the MPs' authority to implement legislative changes and criminalize online insults so that law enforcement, as Georg Petrosyan mentioned, does not exhibit inaction.