Groundbreaking Council of Europe report issues ‘red cards’ to many member states, incl. Armenia, for failing gay rights

Details about Armenia (+ South Caucasus countries and beyond) related particulars - in subsequent posts

Full report: "Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity in Europe"

Via Council of Europe: “Millions of people in Europe are discriminated, stigmatised and even victims of violence because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.”

This stark message from Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg, lays bare the scale of homophobia and transphobia in Europe, uncovered in his report launched today.

Speaking about lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) people, Hammarberg says: “They cannot fully enjoy their universal human rights. There is an urgent need for all European governments to remedy this situation and take policy and legislative measures to combat homophobia and transphobia."

The report is the result of a two-year study. It contains a socio-legal analysis of the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people people across the 47 Council of Europe member states, relying on data and information made available by public authorities, national human rights structures, non-governmental organisations and experts. It also builds on research and data made available by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. [...]

Hammarberg adds: “There is considerable resistance among many people, including political leaders, to discuss the full enjoyment of universal human rights by LGBT persons. Even if this may not be a popular human rights topic, the time has now come to take the discussion forward and make it concrete. Converging efforts by the Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE and the UN are essential for ensuring the full enjoyment of universal rights by LGBT persons everywhere.”
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Says Martin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board (via PINK Armenia, via ILGA-Europe): “We hope that this report along with the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers Recommendations adopted in March and a number of the judgements by the European Court of Human Rights, will provide European countries with a solid road map towards full equality and respect of LGBT people’s human rights. We believe there is sufficient European consensus and legal foundation for such improvement, all is required to fill the existing gaps is a political will of the national governments to bring their countries in line with the expected European standard.”