Monday 2 February 2009

Introducing yet another bigot – Armenian doctor MP Karen Avagyan

Armenian doctor MP from the ruling Republican party, member of the parliamentary Health Care Committee Karen Avagyan's interview with Aravot daily:

"It’s true, the existence of sexual minorities is not accepted by our society although there are such people in this very society. Regardless of whatever documents our country signs, whatever actions are conducted, acceptance will not get materialised, and thanks God that it won't. This conservatism is very necessary for us. I may well have acquaintances with such people too without knowing that they are such people, but if I knew, I won’t have any relations/contacts with them."

Մերժում է սեռական փոքրամասնություններին
Սեռական փոքրամասնությունների գոյությունը իրոք մեր հասարակության կողմից չի ընկալվում, չնայած նույն հասարակության մեջ կան այդպիսի մարդիկ: Մեր երկիրը ինչ փաստաթուղթ էլ ստորագրի, ինչ միջոցառումներ էլ անցկացվեն, միեւնույն է, հասարակական ընկալում չի ձեւավորվում եւ փառք Աստծո, որ չի ձեւավորվում: Այս պահպանողականությունը մեզ շատ է պետք: Միգուցե ես էլ եմ նման մարդկանց հետ շփվում ու չգիտեմ, որ նրանք այդ մարդիկ են, բայց եթե այդ մասին իմանամ՝ այլեւս նրանց հետ չեմ շփվի:
He is MP. He is doctor MP. Still, no much surprises here as the same doctor MP mentions during the interview, somehow proudly, that he would never marry non-virgin woman.

«Երբեք չէի ամուսնանա մի կնոջ հետ, ով մինչ ամուսնությունը սեռական հարաբերություն է ունեցել այլ տղամարդու հետ»

From his bio on parliament.am:

He was born on December 6, 1974 in Yerevan.

In 1999 he graduated from the general medicine faculty of Yerevan State Medical University/YSMU, In 2001 he graduated from the residency training of forensic medicine of YSMU. 2001 –2004 he was a post-graduate in YSMU, 2003-2004 he was a post-graduate in A. Humboldt University. He is a forensic doctor, candidate of medical sciences, docent.

2003-2005 he was a President of YSMU Students’ Parliament.

2002-2004 he worked at the chair of forensic medicine of YSMU as a senior laboratory assistant, 2004-2006 - an assistant, since 2006 – docent, 2005-2007 he was aide to the Prime Minister.

In 2006 he was awarded a medal of Prime Minister. He is a Chairman of the RPA Youth organization.

On May 12, 2007 he was elected a deputy by the proportional electoral system from the Republican Party of Armenia. He is a member of the RPA board.

He is married, has a child.

9 comments:

Lara said...

O my god!

Unknown said...

They don't stop...
Who said that we'll stop

Anonymous said...

Well, you're not surprised, are you? Anyways, gut reaction is that there needs to be constant monitoring and recording of such remarks so that some kind of report can be presented to the OSCE office in Yerevan and every other diplomatic or international organization monitoring Armenia's CE commitments. These people are exposing themselves now and let them be known by those bodies who should be concerned what effect such statements have in society.

Anonymous said...

You should have inserted his picture. He looks so gay!

Anonymous said...

Oh god, I know him -- well have had dealings with him. He was everywhere during the foreign student protests at YSMU after one of the Indian students died and nobody seemed to care.

He didn't exactly endear himself to me back then either and nor did other members of the YSMU staff who treated the few journalists who covered the protests heavy-handedly.

I keep on running into him now his loyal service controlling, or rather preventing a student movement from emerging, earned him his reward in parliament. Incidentally, I wouldn't trust my health to him.

He actually forced me out of a meeting the YSMU administration managed to convince the foreign students to have by promising them that us few journalists could also be in attendance.

Of course, it was all a lie. I had to fight to get in and then was forced out. I'm not surprised he's as intolerant and prejudiced now as he was back then.

Funny, I remember him clearly and this was how I described him three years ago:

One of the main people in what was effectively a thuggish security detail wore the pin of Prime Minister Andranik Markarian’s Republican Party. No surprise there as Yerevan’s State Universities are controlled by the main party member of the current coalition government.

Talks with Indian Students at Yerevan State Medical University Break Down

artmika said...

Why I am not surprised??? It’s a part of the same chain of intolerance which could be exhibited anywhere.

As far as I am aware, my blog posts are monitored by some international/European organisations, so they may well be reflected in Armenia related reports.

Yes, constant monitoring and recording of such remarks is essential. I hope local LGBT or other related groups will use it too to prepare regular monitoring reports, as one Georgian group used to do in past.

I also hope that eventually, at some point, someone out there, among MPs or state officials, will break this vicious circle and will say loudly and unambiguously that everyone should be treated equal in our society regardless of ‘minority status’.

Anonymous said...

My respects to Karen and people like him

Anonymous said...

I feel someone from Aravot weekly read this article, look above the comment form anonymous
Good, they are worried about their future, me too:)))

Anonymous said...

He is a sexist, homophobic idiot and as far as I'm concerned there is no more room for idiots in this world... thank you PINK Armenia, artmika, Onnik and all those others whose words comfort me and who inspire change.