"Five Human Rights Defenders"  initiative group condemns use of   video containing threats against Pashinyan to target Artsakh people 

ArmInfo.The "Five Human Rights Defenders" initiative has condemned the use of a recently circulated video—featuring five masked individuals issuing threats against Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan—to target displaced Artsakh Armenians.

 Earlier, pro-government media outlets widely disseminated a video in  which armed, unidentified individuals speaking the Artsakh dialect  threatened Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and urged Armenian citizens  not to vote for him in the upcoming parliamentary elections.  "We  strongly condemn the use of this unacceptable video featuring five  masked individuals as a pretext for actions targeting Artsakh  Armenians and fueling public tension. Furthermore, during his public  addresses, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly  singled out the Artsakh dialect, a move that will inevitably trigger  a wave of hatred against the people of Artsakh," the initiative said  in a statement on its Facebook page.

Earlier, the spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Armenia,  Kima Avdalyan, also issued a statement confirming that the agency has  initiated criminal proceedings regarding the threats made against  Pashinyan.

"According to a report received by the RA Investigative Committee  from the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, unknown  individuals, without the authorization required by law, seized data  stored on a computer network not intended for public use and  transmitted via computer communications. Driven by hatred and  intolerance, they broadcast a live video containing a real threat to  assassinate Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan due to his  government and political activities and political views," Avdalyan  wrote.

The RA Investigative Committee spokesperson announced the initiation  of a criminal case on charges of plotting murder, computer sabotage,  and illegal trafficking of firearms and ammunition by a group of  individuals. "A preliminary investigation is underway to identify the  perpetrators," Avdalyan added.