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More than 30 years December 1st is known as the World AIDS Day. In the lead-up to World AIDS Day 2016, the hands up for #HIVprevention campaign will explore different aspects of HIV prevention and how they relate to specific groups of people, such as adolescent girls and young women, key populations and people living with HIV.
To become a part of the world campaign, UNAIDS is asking people around the world to submit:
A photograph of a word or short phrase written on the palm of their hand summarizing what we need to strengthen HIV prevention efforts, for example more condoms, empowerment, inclusion, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), rights for women and girls; and/or
A short video message (maximum 30 seconds) explaining what in their view needs to be done to reduce new HIV infections in their community.
In their website, UNAIDS also provides resources, templates for posters and banners, as well as ready materials that civil society, individual and people who care, to use in their websites and on social media.
Lena Nanushyan
What does #HIVprevention mean 4 you? Civil Society activists working on HIV, AIDS and human rights issues in Armenia gave various answers to that question: mostly they mentioned dignity, justice, access to anti-retroviral treatment treatment, HIV testing, access to Opiate Substitution Treatment, human rights protection of most at risk population, care and support.
Lena Nanushyan, National Programme Office, UNAIDS Armenia said: "For me it is #HIVtesting. Testing will prevent deaths & new cases. Hands up for #HIVprevention!"
"Now is the time to come together again and finish what we started. Let us seize this opportunity and join the fast-track towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030." Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director.
Adjacent to the Country Coordination Mechanism for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (CCM) of the Republic of Armenia, a new working group has been formed—“Community, Rights, Gender” (CRG). PINK Armenia was invited to be a part of the working group.
The group aims to ensure community involvement in decision-making processes and to ensure the inclusion of human rights protection and gender equality within CCM. One of its main objectives is the monitoring and analysis of human rights violation cases among people who use drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men and people living with certain infections, as well as ensuring the accessibility of medical assistance within the spheres of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
HAYP Pop Up Gallery, a moving art collective that curates and sets up art exhibitions across Armenia, dedicated its most recent gallery, “Lips of Pride,” to women artists, women’s bodies and sexualities, and societal perceptions of shame in Armenia, from April 8-18, 2015. “Lips of Pride” aimed to begin a conversation on a taboo topic, and to give a voice to those who are often silenced by shame.
For 10 days the gallery hosted several events that facilitated that conversation, including a panel discussion on “Shame & Sexuality” with Ani Jilozyan from Women's Support Center, sexologist Dr. Narine Nersisyan, and PINK Armenia psychologist Lilit Avetisyan, who talked about how speech affects our perspectives on sexuality, the role that shame plays in our lives and the affects of shame on LGBT people. Lilit’s final message for participants of the discussion was that we should never be ashamed of our sexualities, which is an indivisible part of who we are. PINK’s engagement in the exhibit events continued with the workshop “Understanding Human Sexuality,” which covered personal experiences and a general understanding of the different dimensions of sexuality.
PINK continues documenting the hate speech and messages calling for hate to PINK’s president Nvard Margaryan, NGO members, and to the PINK Armenia Facebook page. The frequency of such messages has increased especially after Nvard Margaryan’s participation in a TV show, “Kisabac Lusamutner (Half-open Windows)”, where a psychologist announced that she cures homosexuality and a lawyer threatened to burn gay people. Although a complaint was submitted to the Ethics Committee of the Chamber of Advocates in Armenia, and the Chamber of Advocates applied a disciplinary proceeding against the lawyer, in the letter The Chamber of Advocates mentioned how the natural family can only be a union between a man and a women according Armenia’s “amended” Constitution. PINK is now documenting all the messages containing hate speech, as all the previous complaints to the General Prosecutor’s Office on hate speech messages and comments were largely ignored or found not to have a basis for criminal proceedings.
PINK filed a complaint with the Ministry of Health about the conduct of
the medical professionals, after a victim of hate crime in Yerevan (LGBT Activists Targeted in Hate Crime, then Mocked by Hospital Staff)
admitted themselves to the N1 hospital in Yerevan, and faced
discrimination, being told by medical professionals, “Come, let’s do a
blood test on you. Let’s see if you have a deviance”.
An administrative proceeding has been filed with the health inspection
department of the Ministry of Health against irreverent treatment and
improper medical service provided by the personnel of the “First medical
center ‘Heratsi’”. The personnel of the medical center conducted
themselves unprofessionally and treated the patient seeking treatment
with disrespect, which was related to the appearance and gender identity
of the victim. During the administrative hearing, the representatives
of the health inspection department rejected the fact that the personnel
of medical center had behaved inappropriately, clarifying that the
definition of irreverent and improper treatment is not determined by sub
legislative acts. They justified the behavior of the medical personnel,
saying that the blood analysis is obligatory for everyone who has been
beaten.
The personnel of the medical center declared that they have watched the
video of security cameras and that there was no such treatment on the
part of the medical center’s personnel. But after a motion to examine
the video during the hearing and to attach it to the case materials,
they answered that the video had been self-deleted.
On March 25 Ministry of Health informed that the case is suspended due to the absence of violation.
“Women are different” was the main slogan Armenia’s Feminist Platform
group chose to mark International Women’s Day on March 8. Everyone was
invited to join a planned march on that day, regardless of age, marital
status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, whether they
were locals or foreigners, or from villages or cities, all to “celebrate
different ways of being a woman”.
Posters during march read: “women are different”, “lesbian”, “bisexual”,
“transgender”, “scientist”, “virgin”, “sex worker”, “woman living with
HIV”, “cleaner”, “entrepreneur”, “mother”, “single mother”, “model”,
“soldier”, “not married”, “footballer / weightlifter”, “woman with
disability” and more. Most passersbys reacted positively to the march
and showed interest in what they heard and read. Some people, however,
mostly young males, were visibly aggravated by the march and even
stopped to inform the marchers that such public actions “are shameful
and ugly phenomena.”
In recognition of Zero Discrimination Day, which the United Nations
celebrates on March 1, a support group meeting of LGBT people living
with HIV took place at PINK. The meeting, which was attended by 15 people, and aimed to unite LGBT people living with HIV
and allies to discuss HIV-related issues, to share experiences and
support each other. This was the first event of its type, as LGBT people
living with HIV prefer not to speak about their status to avoid double
discrimination.
During the meeting, allies shared their experience on when they first
met people living with HIV, and HIV positive people told their stories
and the challenges they face both from the larger public and the LGBT
community. Strategies were discussed on how to eliminate the
discrimination and stigma towards people living with HIV within LGBT
community, which will only become possible through joint efforts and
support.
On February 24, a press conference took place at Yerevan’s Media Center (media-center.am) on “Violence against Sexual Minorities: The Approaches of Law Enforcement and Healthcare System”, which was live streamed via YouTube. The speakers of the press conference were Mamikon Hovsepyan, Executive Director of PINK Armenia, Sergey Gabrielyan and Artur Makaryan of New Generation Humanitarian NGO, and Sona Harutyunyan, lecturer at the Medical Psychology Department of Yerevan State Medical University. The recent homophobic attack on LGBT activists, as well as other matters regarding discrimination and hatred towards LGBTQ people was discussed during the press conference. A journalist from hraparak.am asked a question on whether it would be admissible to see homosexual people during the day walking in the streets if anti-discrimination legislation is passed in Armenia. Hovsepyan in turn asked the journalist if she sees homosexuals during the day. The journalist said yes, and that it was “not normal” to her. In response to her statement, Hovsepyan asked if it was “normal” for the journalist to be talking to him, to which she said, “Yes.” “I am homosexual,” said Mamikon in response, coming out publicly in front of journalists and cameras.
On the most recent episode of «Կիսաբաց լուսամուտներ» (kisabac lusamutner / Half Opened Windows), the most popular Armenian talk show, a gay man was brought on the air together with his mother to talk about the discrimination he faces in finding a job, based on his sexual orientation and gender identity / expression. President of PINK Armenia, Nvard Margaryan, and an LGBT-friendly doctor, Vardan Hambardzumyan, were asked to take part in a show as experts. During the show, the guest faced inhumane and unprofessional attitudes from other invited experts (a psychologist, sexologist, lawyer and an artist). During the TV show, sexologist Vrezh Shahramanyan talked about “ego-dystonic homosexuality”—a diagnosis no longer recognized in the DSM— while artist Sargis Mikayelyan made homophobic jokes and statements. Psychologist Mariam Mehrabyan, a co-founder of “Zhest” Personal Development Centre, PhD of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, said that she can treat/cure the guest’s homosexuality, and ensured that she’s experienced in it. Lawyer Garik Galikyan, who is a member of the Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia and founder of Galikyan law office in Yerevan and its branch in the Netherlands, was made anxious by Hambardzumyan’s and Margaryan’s responses to a hypothesis brought by him that conflicted with the statements made by all other experts present. “Whenever I see them [LGBT people], I will smash them, trample them, and yes – they must be burnt…” Galikyan said.
In Armenia, there is no license psychologists are required to obtain in order to practice, and thus no license to be taken away in cases such as this, so PINK has initiated a letter to Ministry of Health to understand the Ministry’s standpoint on this matter. We call on psychological associations from around the world to make statements and voice their concerns on this matter.
New Generation Humanitarian NGO, as well as PINK Armenia, together with Anti-Discrimination Coalition has initiated a complaint against Galikyan to the Ethics Committee of the Chamber of Advocates in Armenia.
We’ll keep our partners updated on the proceedings of the case.
In February, PINK Armenia conducted trainings on Social Justice with 32 attendees, and hosted several events for LGBTQ people. During the newly initiated Queer Talk series, participants form their own agenda for discussions. “Queer identity” and the first Armenian LGBT novel by Armen Ohanyan-Mommyland:Flag, about three friends: Nar, a transvestite who has been beaten and kicked out of his home for wearing women’s clothing; Sam and Ando, gay men whose romance ends with Sam’s death in the army, were discussed in February. During a discussion on transgender issues, trans people, together with their fellow LGBQ friends, discussed the challenges and discrimination they face both from the wider society and the LGBQ community. Overall, 58 LGBTQ people took part in events organized in February.
On February 15, 2016, 3 unidentified persons attacked 5 LGBT activists in central Yerevan by physically assaulting them. The assailants cursed and began beating one of the activists, and when the victim’s friends rushed to help, they too were subjected to beatings. The attackers mocked the physical appearance of the first victim, and used homophobic slurs. Two of the victims are staff members of PINK Armenia. The victims filed a report on the attack with the police shortly afterward. The following day, when the first victim admitted himself to the N1 hospital in Yerevan, he once again faced discrimination, being told by medical professionals, “Come, let’s do a blood test on you. Let’s see if you have a deviance.” PINK has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Health about the conduct of the medical professionals.
PINK Armenia thanks all for the supportive statements following the attack, and will keep you updated on the investigation process.
Taking into consideration requests from many LGBTQ community members, PINK organized a safe space for LGBTQ people to come together, express themselves openly and enjoy an exciting Drag Show. The event was attended by about 250 LGBTQ people and allies, which made it the biggest gathering in Armenia so far. The event was also significant because of the considerable number of transgender people
in attendance.Rejoicing, however, is almost always interrupted with the next instances of injustice and violence when it comes to LGBTQ people in Armenia, as soon following the celebration an attack took place on LGBT activists in Yerevan.
During the 29th Regular Session of Human Rights Council, June 25, the state of Armenia presented its official stance towards the recommendations made during the review of the human rights record of Armenia earlier this year.
Large number of recommendations included, among others, adopting and effectively implementing legislation to ensure prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, combating hate propaganda and ensuring that appropriate training is provided to officials, and that law enforcement authorities carry out thorough and prompt investigations regarding attacks on LGBTI persons.
Gladly, most of these recommendations have been supported by the Republic of Armenia, including those related to prohibition of discrimination and discriminatory based activities against LGBT people which were carefully formulated. However, the Republic of Armenia noted one recommendation in which juridical adjustments were requested.
Even so, this small achievement is very important to our work, as it means the acknowledgement by the state of existence of various human rights issues of LGBT people that need to be addressed.
The results of this report should be a starting point by the state to undertake necessary measures to improve the lives of LGBT people in Armenia.
To remind, that PINK Armenia, together with partner organizations, had submitted an alternative report for the 21st session of the Universal Periodic Review, where recommendations on prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity had been highly emphasized.
On July 15, a state commission formed by President Serzh Sargsyan on publicized its draft constitutional amendments envisaging Armenia’s transformation into a parliamentary republic with a largely ceremonial head of state not elected by popular vote.
Under the new Constitution, the president of the republic will be elected by an electoral college consisting of National Assembly members and representatives of local government bodies. It is widely believed that President Sargsyan has initiated the reform to be able to stay in power in some other capacity after completing his second and final presidential term in 2018.
Lawmakers discussing plans to amend Armenia's constitution back in 2005 expressed broad support for a ban on same-sex marriages. 10 years later we still witness the same intention. The Constitutional amendments refer to changes for the freedom of marriage. Article 35 of the (current) Constitution of The Republic of Armenia states: Men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and found a family according to their free will. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and divorce. Article 34, in contrast, according to the amendments, states: Men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry with each other and found a family according to their free will. Thus, the new Constitution is limiting the freedom of marriage to opposite sex, Armenia is to join the countries who have a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
The draft Constitution is expected to be completed by early August. Subsequently, the draft shall be submitted to the President. If approved, it will be introduced to the National Assembly, and then a Referendum Day will be set.
Several advocacy and public events took place in Yerevan on the occasion of International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. The awareness about the Day has been successfully increased covering different layers of the society.
On the eve of IDAHOT, activists made the uncompromising statement of Stonewall “Some people are gay, get over it” available on the streets of Yerevan for passers-by.
PINK Armenia initiated personal letters to all of the MPs, some of the relevant ministries, prime minister of the country and the president Serzh Sargsyan. PINK called upon the state officials to monitor direct and indirect cases of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, to ensure the legislative amendments to combat discrimination based on SOGI, thus ensuring equal rights and respect towards LGBT people. The letter addressed to the president urged him not to reward persons and organizations openly demonstrating hate calls with national awards. The letter addressed to the MPs pointed out not to use the chair of the National Assembly as a platform for hate speech. The letters stated that the Government is also expected to adopt and implement the recommendations of UPR on regards to prohibiting and preventing discrimination based on SOGI.
PINK also gifted state officials informational booklets about homophobia and postcards with personal stories of LGBT persons who were subjected to violence and discrimination.
On May 17 PINK activists raised the LGBT flag in the very heart of Yerevan, which caused hysteria among the homophobic society and hate calls and threats towards the activists.
To conclude the day, IDAHOT was celebrated in a closed venue attended by more than 120 LGBT people and allies. Rarely in Armenia does the LGBT community have a safe and secure platform to express themselves openly, yet IDAHOT was celebrated in an easy and free environment.
As LGBTnews.am
(link in Armenian) reports, Prosperous Armenia MP Naira Zohrabyan,
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe delegation
representative from Armenia, has a negative attitude towards LGBT people
and tries to stay away from their issues. Zohrabyan recognizes that we
shall avoid such depravity to preserve our nation’s moral and ethnic
description. MP noted that in Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
she had constantly voted against all the initiatives aimed at the
protection of LGBT people.
“…[M]y attitude towards them is negative and it cannot be changed, because
I know there is a law of nature, a law of God, commandments, and the
class that will go against the commandments of God, will be awarded the
punishment of God. Yes, there probably is a class among them that is
sick by genetics, another class that has mental disorders, but we shall
not pay tribute… I’ll do my best to ensure they fail spreading their
metastasis, I say it openly and publicly”, she said.
PACE delegation substitute from Armenia, "Armenian Revolutionary
Federation" faction MP Armen Rustamyan finds that LGBT rights are more
than protected in Armenia. He also finds that there’s a huge difference
between “vulnerable groups” and LGBT people. “Homosexual marriages do
not fit into Armenian mentality … and if the family does not reproduce,
then it is not a family”, he concluded.
Ombudsman’s
Annual Report of 2014 on the human rights protection in Armenia has
recently been released. The annual report also refers to LGBT rights
violations of 2014, submitted by PINK Armenia. Although the submitted
information has not been thoroughly included and presented in the annual
report, it includes some of the main issues LGBT people face. The
report states that the index of society’s intolerance towards LGBT
people remains high. The survey on constitutional reform of 2014 showed
that 88% of respondents believe that the rights of sexual minority must
be limited. Meanwhile, the 2015 UN Universal Periodic Review working
group instructed Armenia to take effective legislative and practical
measures to ensure the protection of sexual minorities from
discrimination. Human rights defenders recorded 1233 cases of
discrimination, physical violence, and inadequate response to LGBT
people complaints from the side of law enforcement bodies. Acts of
discrimination against LGBT people is often expressed in media, spheres
of healthcare, education, labor.
“Gay
people are in a more vulnerable situation in penitentiary institutions,
where they often perform the most humiliating jobs (eg, sewage
cleaning), live isolated from other prisoners, no one communicates with
them, their utensils and belongings are separated” is said in the
Ombudsman's annual report.
Petra DeSutter, Belgian delegate at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has initiated an announcement, which has been signed by 22 delegates regarding the case of 16 citizens against Iravunk newspaper. Hayk Babukhanyan, the president of the editorial board of Iravunk, member of Armenia's Republican Party Faction of the National Assembly, in his turn, stated that he expects PACE delegates to apologize and leave Iravunk newspaper alone.
On this occasion PINK Armenia has sent letters to various commissions of National Assembly, as well as to the MPs of the Republican Party to find the steps for the follow up of PACE recommendations.
Serzh Sargsyan awarded the
leader of homophobic newspaper
On March 2 we received responses from The Republican Party Faction (secretary) and Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs. The letter of Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs stated that the matter raised by PINK Armenia was not subjected to discussion.
The response from The Republican Faction said that Hermine Naghdalyan (the head of the Armenian delegation to the PACE, Republican Party) had made a statement on regards to the article by Iravunk, and regarding the announcement made by 22 PACE delegates – MP Hayk Babukhanyan issued an open letter where he explained the situation and demanded an apology from 22 delegates. Together with the letter, the open letter of Babukhanyan and 2 editions of Iravunk newspaper were attached. As a further matter, some articles regarding the case were highlighted, entitled “Naghdalyan left homosexual lobbyists empty-handed”, “Coordinated attack from Strasburg [to Berdzor]”, etc. Is it needless to mention “Iravunk” is published under the state support?
According to the Court Decision no offensive remarks were used in the article and it corresponds to the principles of freedom of speech. The verdict obliged the plaintiffs to compensate 50,000 AMD in favor of each respondent party: “Iravunk Media” LTD and Hovhannes Galajyan.
It should be recalled that Judge Nakhshun Tavaratsyan basically revealed in one question that the court has already decided the verdict of the Iravunk case during the trial; “Does Conchita [Wurst] know that you are defending her this much?”
More than 30 years December 1st is known as the World AIDS Day. In the lead-up to World AIDS Day 2016, the hands up for #HIVprevention campaign will explore different aspects of HIV prevention and how they relate to specific groups of people, such as adolescent girls and young women, key populations and people living with HIV.
PINK filed a complaint with the Ministry of Health about the conduct of
the medical professionals, after a victim of hate crime in Yerevan (LGBT Activists Targeted in Hate Crime, then Mocked by Hospital Staff)
admitted themselves to the N1 hospital in Yerevan, and faced
discrimination, being told by medical professionals, “Come, let’s do a
blood test on you. Let’s see if you have a deviance”.
In February, PINK Armenia conducted trainings on Social Justice with 32 attendees, and hosted several events for LGBTQ people. During the newly initiated Queer Talk series, participants form their own agenda for discussions. “Queer identity” and the first Armenian LGBT novel by Armen Ohanyan-Mommyland:Flag, about three friends: Nar, a transvestite who has been beaten and kicked out of his home for wearing women’s clothing; Sam and Ando, gay men whose romance ends with Sam’s death in the army, were discussed in February. During a discussion on transgender issues, trans people, together with their fellow LGBQ friends, discussed the challenges and discrimination they face both from the wider society and the LGBQ community. Overall, 58 LGBTQ people took part in events organized in February.
On the eve of IDAHOT, activists made the uncompromising statement of Stonewall “Some people are gay, get over it” available on the streets of Yerevan for passers-by.
