International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: A perspective from Armenia

On the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia we asked our partners PINK Armenia to share their experiences of LGBTI discrimination in Armenia.

What is the current situation for LGBTI communities in Armenia?

‘The situation of LGBT+ people in Armenia continues to be worrying, as the number of the offences because of victims’ sexual orientation or gender identity is only increasing. During 2024 PINK Armenia documented 65 cases involving human rights violations, of which 38 were cases of domestic violence. Meanwhile the willingness to report incidents to law enforcement is constantly decreasing. Only 10 victims of these 65 documented offences have agreed to report them, and only one investigation is still ongoing. The main reason for this situation is mistrust towards the investigative authorities.

‘The incidents are not being effectively documented and investigated, which leads to impunity on one hand and disappointment on the other hand.

‘It’s already three years since the European Court of Human Rights published its judgment in Oganezova v. Armenia, but this judgment still cannot, unfortunately, be considered implemented. Specifically, both the legislative and practical issues identified by the Court as leading to human rights violation remain. Furthermore, the training that has been organized for the law enforcement agencies has had little practical impact.’

How is PINK Armenia challenging this situation?

‘Pink Armenia continues its advocacy efforts towards comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, as well as criminal legislation regarding hate crimes and hate speech. We also monitor the measures undertaken by the authorities to assess their compliance to the recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights, preparing follow-up reports for the Committee of Ministers.’