HRC 52nd Session: Item 3: interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism

14 March, 2023

Delivered by Mr. Henrik Yeritsyan, Second Secretary

President,

We thank the Special Rapporteur for her presentation and report.

We agree with the SR that digital technologies, are transforming the ways in which human rights are impeded and violated around the world and they are, indeed, sometimes employed to advance xenophobia and racism. During the 51^st session of HRC, Armenia delivered a joint statement voicing concern about increase in online hate speech and harassment. The statement was co-sponsored by 42 UN member states.

We are also concerned about the impact of lethal autonomous weapons systems on the civilian population. In this regard, we believe that the regulations and reflections on the human rights merits should be strengthened.

Unfortunately, the South Caucasus is not immune from the misuse of sophisticated intrusive cybersurveillance technologies. We have recently witnessed how they were exploited by authoritarian states both for crackdown on dissidents at home and for surveillance of neighboring countries. Thus, Armenia considers that the call for moratorium on the transfer of surveillance technology to the states with chronic human rights violations, abuses and disregard for human dignity, should be a matter of urgent deliberations.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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