Police chief Alik Sargsyan, national security “hOrinats Yerkir” Arthur Baghdasaryan, and US State Department human rights report on LGBT discrimination in Armenia

Armenia

Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Societal attitudes towards homosexuality remained highly unfavorable, with society generally viewing homosexuality as an affliction.

Persons who were openly gay were exempted from military service, purportedly because of concern they would be abused by fellow servicemen. However, the actual exemption required a medical finding via psychological examination that gays possessed a mental disorder, which was stamped in their documents and could affect their future.

According to human rights activists, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons experienced some of the most humiliating discrimination in prisons, where they were forced to do some of the most degrading jobs and separated from the rest of the prison population.

Societal discrimination based on sexual orientation continued to be a problem with respect to employment, family relations, and access to education and health care for sexual minorities.

In an interview with the Iravunk biweekly that appeared in the newspaper's December 24 to 27 edition, Artur Baghdasarian, secretary of the National Security Council that advises the president on national security matters, answered a question on homosexuality stating that, "Such conduct does not fit in with our society. Family and Armenian traditions prevail for people who were the first to adopt Christianity. Those unnatural things are unacceptable to us. I am against limitations of human rights in general. However, I consider homosexuality is extremely dangerous for Armenia." [Unzipped: Gay Armenia - read also “Unnatural” national security ‘top’/‘bottom’ Arthur Baghdasaryan says homosexuality “extremely dangerous” for Armenia]

In an interview in the Hraparak daily on December 6, National Police Chief Alik Sargsyan answered a question on the gathering of homosexuals in one of Yerevan's central parks, stating that, "We try to take them to such a place where they won't be seen, but they like to appear in public. We do not practice any violent measures, do not violate human rights, it is their business, but in our city, it is not appropriate for people…I cannot bear them physically." [Unzipped: Gay Armenia - some of my relevant posts re Alik Sargsyan]

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Reports on Georgia and Azerbaijan
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Relevant post from 2010: US State Department human rights report: "Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan

How Armenia police chief gets fooled by yellow journalism

[Read also: Marking Police Day in Armenia the way only Unzipped can do]

Everything started with Chorrord Ishkhanutyun which as if ‘by the way’, in a brief note about Police Day, marked in Armenia on 16 April, intentionally mentions (= lies) that same day in different countries ‘gays celebrate their day’.

Չգիտես ինչու, այդ լուսավոր տոնը թողած, նույն օրը աշխարհի տարբեր երկրներ նշում են համասեռամոլների օրը: Բայց դա արդեն Հայաստանի հետ կապ չունի: (CHI, 31 March 2010)

Then many representatives of Armenian media (example), without a simple google checking the facts - nothing surprising here - re-posting this ‘juicy coincidence’ and questioning Armenia police chief about it.

And Mr Alik Sargsyan, head of Armenia police, instead of checking facts (a very simple task in this case, believe me), formally asks Armenian president to change the Police Day date from next year.

Ապրիլի 16-ը ՀՀ ոստիկանության օրն է, և այդ տոնին ընդառաջ այսօր ոստիկանապետ Ալիկ Սարգսյանը «Ուրբաթ» ակումբում պատասխանում էր լրագրողների հարցերին: «Իսկ ո՞ւմ նախաձեռնությամբ է ոստիկանության օրը նշվում հենց ապրիլի 16-ին, երբ նույն օրը աշխարհի տարբեր երկրներում նշում են համասեռամոլների օրը»,- հարցրին ոստիկանապետին:
«Չեմ ուզում թաքցնել` ես դիմել եմ երկրի նախագահին, խնդրել, որպեսզի այդ օրը փոխենք: Չգիտեմ` որքանով է ճիշտ այդ վարկածը` ինչ-որ այլ կողմնորոշմամբ մարտկանց տոնի հետ կապված, ամեն դեպքում, փորձելու եմ ամեն ինչ անել, գրեթե խոստանում եմ (որովհետև իմ որոշումից չի կախված), որ եկող տարի մենք ոստիկանության տոնը կնշենք այլ օր: Միգուցե դա կլինի ապրիլի 19-ին, որն Առաջին Հանրապետության ոստիկանության օրն է: Ամեն դեպքում, ես առաջարկը ներկայացնելու եմ երկրի ղեկավարին, որը կլինի նաև մեր ոստիկանների սրտով. բոլորն ինձ այդ մասին դիմում և խնդրում են»,- ասաց Ալիկ Սարգսյանը:
Վերջինս նշեց, որ տոնի օրը որևէ մեկի նախաձեռնությամբ չի ընտրվել, պարզապես այդ օրը`ապրիլի 16-ին, Ազգային ժողովն ընդունել է համապատասխան որոշումը:

Truly, a tragicomedy in making.

Even if the reports were true (which they are not), so what? Is this an evidence of institutional homophobia both in Armenian media and police?

You, ignorant representatives of Armenian media - not all, but many - there is no such thing as ‘Gay Day celebrated internationally on 16 April’. Instead of engaging in yellow journalism, take a time, just a few seconds of your ‘precious’ time, make very simple google search, and you will find out that on 16 April, mainly in the USA, human rights activists mark school-based LGBT related anti-bullying Day of Silence.

Why I am even asking... Of course, you do not care of facts. Sensationalism, intrigues, dirty tricks... that’s what matters to you.

And you, Mr Alik Sargsyan, head of police. Instead of feeling uncomfortable and somehow disrespectful to gays, you should instead state clearly, once and for all, that it’s your obligation to protect all Armenian citizens, including LGBT citizens. Your constitutional obligation. Instead, you got fooled by yellow journalism in Armenia.

Here is a link especially for Armenian media representatives and Armenia police chief: Day of Silence. Read it. Educate yourself about the meaning of the day.

The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year the event has grown, and now hundreds of thousands of students participate to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Not funny, isn’t it?

P.S. not to mention the use of unacceptable and discriminatory word ”hamaseramol” to refer to gays in Armenian, including by Hetq Online. Shame really. By the way, there is good comment left by a reader of Hetq Online here.

*picture - via A1+

United in laugh and homophobia: Armenia “purest” police chief and media outlets

There were times when you could read here and there that “there are no gays in Armenia”. Well, those times have passed, and could be remembered with smile on our face. Now there is another trend: “there are no gays in this or that Department/Ministry/field...”

Couple of months ago, it was Armenian Army representative who made such ridiculous claims, which were instantly laughed at by Russian language gay websites. Today it’s Armenia police chief’s turn.

Watch this video (AM) towards the end. Pay attention how Armenia police chief and media representatives laughing together when discussing this whole ‘gay/police day’ thingy. They [media, and then police chief] created this fake ‘coincidence’ story, and won’t let it go away despite it being an utter lie and ignorance. Why would they? It’s just a chance to have a good laugh with “the purest” police chief. Apparently, that’s their definition of ‘having fun’.

Armenia police chief Alik Sargsyan statements are ridiculous, outrageous, and bigoted.

He says that Armenian police is “the purest”; there are only “real men” working in police; there never was, and God forbid, never will be anyone with “disorders of [sexual] orientation” there.

«Ոստիկանությունը ամենամաքուրն է եւ ամենազերծը նման բաներից. ոստիկանությունում իսկական տղամարդիկ են աշխատում ամեն ինչով, եւ կողմնորոշման որեւէ խախտում, Աստված չանի, երբեք չի նկատվել եւ չի նկատվի»,-ասաց Ալիկ Սարգսյան: (A1+)

This is a very clear display of homophobia, and human rights violation by Armenia police chief.

In any civilised country, such statements by police chief would lead to media and public outcry and calls for resignation, or at the very least - apology. In Armenia, this leads to a united laugh of media representatives and Armenia police chief.

There is popular saying in Russian, good for this occasion: “Смеётся тот, кто смеётся последним”

And here is the latest from our “purest” police where only “real men” work.

Armenian police: shoot to kill?

P.S. (UPDATE 20 April 2010: apparently, I was too quick to refer to a "positive change" in this radio station - see comments section below) I have to say, that during this whole ‘gay/police day’ saga, Radio Van was one of the very few media representatives which avoided copy/pasting wrong info from other outlets. They made a blog post with appropriate picture, video, and a brief audio interview with the head of PINK Armenia Mamikon Hovsepyan explaining the real meaning of the day. Ironically, this is the radio station which ‘inspired’ me to launch Homophobia Hall of Shame. As I mentioned back then, “The purpose [of the Hall of Shame] is to show that hate is wrong. Hate is not cool. Hate should NOT be profitable. And there are always ways out. You just have to want to get out and make efforts to change yourself for better, to free yourself of hate.”

Lately, I see positive changes in the radio station’s policy, and if this trend continues, I will take them out of the Hall of Shame after 17 May (International Day Against Homophobia).

For now, I updated the Hall of Shame by including Armenia police chief Alik Sargsyan.

Armenia police 'in action'

How sweet, Mr. Alik Sargsyan... Yerevan's answer to Brokeback Mountain. In public. Out and proud. Who knew? ;)

*pictures by © PanARMENIAN Photo/ Davit Hakobyan

US State Department human rights report re: discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Georgia and Azerbaijan

Georgia

Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

There are no laws that criminalize sexual orientation, male-to-male sex, or female-to-female sex. However, social prejudices against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) behavior were strong. The Georgian Orthodox Church strongly denounced such behavior. Cases during the year included death threats against an LGBT activist and the use of antihomosexual slogans by a candidate in the municipal elections.

There were a few LGBT organizations. However, they could not work exclusively on LGBT issues or work openly as LGBT organizations because of the extensive societal stigma against homosexuality; instead they promoted tolerance more broadly.

On April 8, threats were made against an LGBT activist by an anonymous administrator of a Georgian language Facebook Web page entitled "Death to Homosexuals." The threats were of sufficient concern that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation. According to the Ministry of Justice, the investigation continued at year's end. Facebook closed the Web page of its own volition.

On May 25, the GYLA filed suit to suspend the candidacy of an opposition candidate in the municipal elections for posting antihomosexual messages on his Facebook Web pages. The NGO claimed that the messages violated the election code which prohibits fostering hatred and enmity. The Tbilisi City Court ruled against GYLA.

In August false rumors of a gay pride parade in Batumi sparked the condemnation of the Georgian Orthodox Church, including a statement from the patriarch on August 20, and led to protests in front of a hotel where organizers were reportedly staying on August 25 and 26.

In December 2009 police searched the office of an NGO that promotes LGBT equality. Reportedly, they used antihomosexual slurs, made unnecessary strip searches, unnecessarily damaged organizational posters, and unnecessarily ransacked offices. The Ministry of Internal Affairs denied that any procedural violations took place and maintained that the profile of the organization was irrelevant in terms of the law. The ministry reported that its General Inspection Office gave one officer a reprimand at the "severe" level in accordance with the police code of ethics, as his actions were determined to be unethical and inappropriate for police officers. Two other officers were also given a reprimand at the "severe" level for not preventing the above-mentioned officer from making the unethical statements.

The public defender stated his priorities included protection of LGBT groups and individuals.

Azerbaijan

Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Numerous incidents of police brutality against individuals based on sexual orientation occurred, according to a local NGO. Authorities did not investigate or punish those responsible for such acts, largely because victims were unwilling to file complaints due to fear of social stigma.

During the year, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community continued to refuse to lodge formal complaints with law enforcement bodies out of fear of reprisal or retaliatory persecution. Also during the year, the LGBT community held almost monthly gatherings; these were routinely raided.

During 2009 police raided gay bars on four occasions and arrested almost 50 persons. Police reportedly held the individuals and threatened to expose their sexuality publicly unless they paid a bribe. The human rights Ombudsman's Office intervened to resolve the incidents.

There was one NGO that worked on LGBT issues in the country. This NGO worked to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and provided legal advice, psychological assistance, and outreach activities. The NGO reported no official harassment of its work. There were no attempts to organize gay pride marches during the year; however, there was a small gathering on May 17 to commemorate International Anti-Homophobia Day.

On August 11, police found the bodies of two transgendered individuals, Zamiq Gasimov and Yadigar Kuzmin, in Baku. The police arrested three perpetrators who admitted to killing the two on the basis of hatred toward sexual minorities. A local NGO reported that it was unable to obtain updates on the case, for which the investigation had been closed.

In December the Prosecutor General's office issued a statement regarding a murder investigation that could be interpreted as linking "nontraditional" sexual orientation to criminal behavior.

There was societal prejudice against LGBT persons. While being fired from a job for sexual orientation remained illegal, LGBT individuals reported that employers found other reasons to fire them. Discrimination in access to healthcare was also a problem.
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Report on Armenia - Police chief Alik Sargsyan, national security “hOrinats Yerkir” Arthur Baghdasaryan, and US State Department human rights report on LGBT discrimination in Armenia
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Relevant post from 2010: US State Department human rights report: "Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan