Important message from Eurovision to Baku: Azerbaijan must guarantee freedom of expression and sufficient visa entry [incl. for Armenians]

“In line with standard requirements that have to be fulfilled to host the Eurovision Song Contest, the government of Azerbaijan has been requested by the EBU to provide guarantees about security during the event, as well as freedom of expression, according to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and in line with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, to all participants, fans, accredited journalists and the individual citizens of the country that access official Eurovision Song Contest premises. The EBU also requested that all accredited individuals and ticket holders shall receive sufficient entrance visa for the required duration. Such guarantees are expected to be given in the weeks to come.” - reads statement published on official Eurovision website.

As Escdaily rightly pointed out, “such words are more than likely to refer to the question of Armenia’s participation, VISA entry requirements, and questions about press freedom in the would-be host country.”

This is extremely important, as Azeri authorities continue discriminating against anyone with Armenian surname, whether Armenian or foreigner, by barring their entrance to the country. Only yesterday, journalist of Armenian origin with Bloomberg was refused entry to Azerbaijan: Bloomberg Photojournalist Diana Markosian Deported from Baku to Istanbul

Photojournalist Diana Markosian on assignment for Bloomberg agency, arrived at Baku airport on Monday night, was detained and then deported to Istanbul on Tuesday evening. According to the Director of the Institute of Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) Emin Huseynov, Markosian said that all her documents are in order, but she has been detained because of her Armenian surname. [...]

This is unacceptable in general, and even more so for a country that aims at hosting Eurovision song contest. Not to mention extremely poor record of human rights and gay rights. [more detailed post re latter will follow]

Here is what I tweeted yesterday:

#Eurovision must seriously reconsider #Azerbaijan suitability for hosting the contest unless they guarantee entry & safety of Armenian fans

To host #Eurovision, #Azerbaijan should be scrutinised & pressured to improve #gay rights #humanrights & ensure free entry of #Armenia fans

***
Read also: Azerbaijan to host Eurovision 2012. Intrigue of the moment: Will Armenia go to Baku?

Side by side (2): Armenian presence at Istanbul Gay Pride

Second year in a row, there were Armenian language signs/posters during Istanbul Gay Pride march on 26 June. [Read also: Side by side: Turkish and Armenian signs at Istanbul Gay Pride - re similar event last year]

"Եթե ճնշումն ու բռնությունը բարոյական է` մենք անբարոյականներ ենք," գոռում էին նրանք: [Lala Aslikyan]

What this poster says (its meaning) is 'If violence and discrimination are moral, then we are amoral'.

Cute guy, btw ;) See, how amoral I am !!

*picture - via Bianet.

Queering Yerevan reported (with pics) from Istanbul Gay Pride too.

ԵԹԵՐՈՒՄ Է ԵՐԵՎԱՆԸ, ժամը տասնանց է երեսուն րոպե, հաղորդում ենք վերջին լուրերը:

Այսօր, ինչպես հայտնում են մեր թղթակիցները Ստամբուլից, հունիսի քսան վեցին տեղի է ունեցել տարվա գլխավոր իրադարձությունը Թուրքիայում՝ Գեյ շքերթը: Իրենց բողոքն ու գեյ լինելու իրավունքը պաշտպանելու էին դուրս եկել հազարավոր մարդիկ տարբեր սոցիալական խմբերի և սեռական ուղղվածության: Նրանց ձեռքերի պաստառները բազմալեզու էին Թուրքիայի բոլոր փոքրամասնությունների լեզուներով: "Kimsenin namusu olmaya cagiz" («Մենք չենք ուզում լինել այլևս որևէ մեկի նամուսը») բարձրախոսներով վանկարկում էին շուրջ վեց հազար մարդ: "Baski shiddet ahlaksa biz ahlaksiziz" («Եթե ձեր ճնշումներն ու բռնությունը բարոյական են մենք բարոյական չենք»): Այս պահին էլ փողոցներում շարունակվում են վառ ու խառ իրադարձությունները...

And I want to share another cute picture, again, via Bianet.

Read also: Armenian all-female punk rock band Pincet heats the things up during Istanbul Gay Pride week

Armenian all-female punk rock band Pincet heats the things up during Istanbul Gay Pride week

Girls, you rock!

Pincet had a super-cool headlining gig at one of Istanbul night clubs as part of Istanbul Gay Pride week.

I absolutely loved the type of non formal AM language used by Lala Aslikyan reporting live from Istanbul. Below are selected extracts - sorry, in Armenian only, as only with AM you will get the ‘salt’ of what has been reported :)

Մեր թղթակիցներին հաջողվել է մի կերպ որոշ կադրեր ձեռք բերել երեկվա թույնիկ համերգից: Մինչև տասնվեց տարեկան երեխաներին նայել ԱՌԱՆՑ ծնողների ներկայության: Ծնողներ կողմնորոշվեք: Կյանքն անցնում է, դուք էլ հետը:

Եթերում է Երևանը: Ժամը իննանց է տասնհինգ րոպե: Հաղորդում ենք վերջին լուրերը Ստանբուլից: Գեյ շքերթը շարունակում է թափ հավաքել: Այս պահին Ստամբուլի կենտրոնի Ռադիո լայֆ հայտնի ակումբում փախած համերգ է տալիս Պինցետ խումբը:

Ծոմակն ու Ժենյան երգացնում, պարացնում, խմացնում ու հանվացնում են բոլորին: Ինչպես հաղորդում են մեր թղթակիցները, համերգը շատ թեժ է ընթանում: Նկարահանումներն ու ֆոտոխցիկներն արգելված են: Մուտքը` միայն մաքուր սրտերով ու ժպիտներով:

And few pics of Pincet performance & more. Via Queering Yerevan

***

Pincet after the interview with Armenian newspaper Agos in Istanbul

Armenians march at New York Gay Pride

*pictures - via Queering Yerevan

...there is also short video.

[here is a picture from last year NYC Pride]

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey: when family fails children... and “traditional values” - Council of Europe report

In some member states, being gay or lesbian is viewed as a “betrayal” of national values and unity. Such arguments may be grounded on a specific understanding of the nation or the state which aims to preserve the homogeneity of the nation. For example, an interlocutor from the authorities explained that in Armenia being homosexual is often seen as disloyal to the traditional values of the Armenian people.

“Double discrimination” and violence in the family
The family may be experienced by LGBT persons as an institution of immediate social control. This imposes expectations on the gender roles of boys and girls alike, which can be problematic for LGBT children who do not meet them. NGO representatives in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey stressed the double discrimination facing lesbians and bisexual women in those states. As women, they are expected to marry and have children, and until they do they must come home directly from the workplace and not go out alone. Family honour is an influential concept. [Unzipped: Gay Armenia - with regards to marriage expectations, same applies to men.]

While many LGBT persons meet acceptance and respect in the family, many others may have to hide their sexual orientation from family members because they are afraid of bad repercussions. Systematically collected data on the scale of the problem are unavailable, but NGOs report the following: in France, 16% of LGBT persons reported they had been beaten at home by homophobic family members. Homophobic violence in the family was also reported by lesbian and bisexual women in, among others, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

An NGO report on Azerbaijan in 2009 stated that the “most frank displays of violence against lesbian and bisexual women occur in the home, and include verbal and physical abuse, confinement indoors, compulsion, compulsory marriage” as well as the threat of crimes to avenge family honour. The prevalence of domestic violence against LGBT persons is difficult to assess, but LGBT NGOs described family pressure, harassment, control and, in some cases, violence as invisible or under-reported. More research is needed to identify the level of violence or rejection LGBT people experience in their families. A positive recent development in this regard is the adopted Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, as it will also apply to lesbian, bisexual and transgender women.

In Georgia, NGO research demonstrates that 87% of LGB persons conceal their sexual orientation to their families.

/emphasis mine/

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

Armenia and Turkey: ‘Having gay neighbour’ (survey) - Council of Europe report

In many Council of Europe member states national surveys have been conducted, with different methodologies, focus and scope. [Unzipped: Gay Armenia - without having detailed description of survey methodologies, it’s difficult to assess how robust, representative and comparable these survey results could be.]

Regarding survey results related to having a gay or lesbian neighbour, a Turkish survey from 2009 showed that 87% of the population did not want to have a gay or lesbian neighbour – the same figure is found in an Armenian survey from 2005.
***
In Georgia 84% of respondents expressed negative attitudes towards homosexuality.

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

Police violence against LGBT persons in Azerbaijan - Council of Europe report

In Azerbaijan during 2009 police raided bars which LGBT persons visit and arrested almost 50 people. Police reportedly held the individuals and threatened to expose their sexual orientation publicly unless they paid a bribe. A film documentary from Azerbaijan in which several people testify about their experiences also points to such incidents of blackmail.

UN treaty bodies and UN special rapporteurs have, in relation to Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and Turkey, urged these states to end acts of violence and harassment by the police against LGBT persons. In some instances LGBT human rights defenders have been a target of such harassment and violence. The UN Special Representative on the situation of human rights defenders pointed out in 2007 that “In numerous cases ... police or government officials are the alleged perpetrators of violence and threats against defenders of LGBTI rights. In several of these cases ... police officers have, allegedly, beaten up or even sexually abused these defenders of LGBTI rights.” The Special Representative reminded states of their responsibility for protecting defenders against violence and threats.

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

Armenia: lack of non-discrimination legislation for LGBT persons amid ‘hidden’ human rights violations - Council of Europe report

The total number of member states which include sexual orientation either under comprehensive or sectoral non-discrimination legislation is thus 38 (see Map 2.1). Nine member states (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Russian Federation, San Marino, Turkey and Ukraine) have neither sectoral nor comprehensive non-discrimination legislation covering sexual orientation.

[Relevant: Revelation (well, sort of): Armenia was the last among Council of Europe member states to decriminalise gay male sex]

Several member states have specialised legislation in different fields, which includes non-discrimination provisions prohibiting discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation or gender identity. By way of example, in Georgia, the Law on the Rights of the Patient (Article 6) as well as the Law on the Protection of Health (Article 6) explicitly prohibit discrimination due to sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation is an explicitly prohibited ground of discrimination in sectoral non-discrimination legislation in the area of employment, but not with respect to access to goods and services, in 11 member states: Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”.

National structures for promoting equality possess great potential for dealing with complaints on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity as well as promoting the enjoyment of human rights by LGBT persons more generally. However, awareness of these possibilities should be enhanced among LGBT communities as well as within national structures themselves. The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, for example, noted that his office receives a large number of complaints about discrimination from minorities but has not registered any from LGBT persons. He concludes that this “is the best proof that the problem is bigger than assumed and well hidden”.

Many LGBT NGOs interviewed for this study expressed the view that national structures were not sufficiently active in this field. Although an increasing number of equality bodies, ombudsmen and national human rights institutions appear to work on questions related to sexual orientation and homophobia, even more efforts are needed to initiate work to address discrimination on grounds of gender identity.

[Unzipped: Gay Armenia - Some positive developments in this regard in Armenia: Historic memorandum between Armenia human rights Ombudsman and PINK Armenia on protection of LGBT rights]

Despite the adoption of non-discrimination legislation in many Council of Europe member states, it has been difficult to identify comprehensive data on the application of such laws. This report identified a number of court cases related to alleged discrimination of LGBT persons either under non-discrimination legislation or other legal provisions as well as complaints submitted to national structures promoting equality. Such information on sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination has been identified in 31 member states in the period 2004 to 2010: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Cases reported by NGOs (but not officially reported by the victim to national structures promoting equality or court) are not included in this list of countries.

/emphasis mine/

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

Turkey, Azerbaijan: Freedom of expression for LGBT persons censored - Council of Europe report

Turkey
In Turkey, following the decision of the Ankara Public Prosecutor Office to seize an LGBT magazine in 2006, which was justified on the ground of Article 28 of the Turkish Constitution and the Law on Criminal Procedure, the NGO which had published the magazine filed an appeal. This appeal was unsuccessful and after the final decision of the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance, the NGO brought the case before the European Court of Human Rights, which is now pending.

Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan the novel “Artush and Zaur”, by the author Alekper Aliyev, portraying the love between an Azerbaijani man and an Armenian man, was removed by the police from a big bookstore in Baku.

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

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine: problems in freedom of association for LGBT groups - Council of Europe report

LGBT NGOs have been formed in nearly all member states. LGBT NGOs in some member states of the Council of Europe face challenges on the most basic level: to register their organisation and statutes. Restrictions on the freedom of association have been observed in five member states during the period 2004-2010: Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine. Such restrictions by the authorities are usually motivated on the ground that the founding documents and scope of the association are contrary to national law. Authorities have also used the argument that the scope of the association is in contrast to or undermines national moral values. Furthermore, administrative issues may arise in relation to registration formalities. Problems with the registration of the statutes of LGBT associations have also been registered in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

Ukraine
In Ukraine in 2008, despite the absence of formal limitations, the “People of Bukovina” NGO was requested to delete from its statute the wording “sexual orientation” and compelled to use “gender orientation”. Another Ukrainian organisation, the Lviv LGBT Organisation Total, reported similar problems.

Armenia
In Armenia, NGOs report being unable to include in their statutes references to LGBT issues, sexual orientation or gender identity, although the authorities have denied that this is the case.

Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan the NGO Gender and Development managed to get the registration but reported that they were contacted several times during the registration process by the State Security Committee regarding the target groups, scope of the organisation and the organisation’s relations with other countries.

Restrictions to freedom of association are not exclusively limited to unlawful interference by the authorities in registration processes. They can also take the form of impediments for LGBT associations to carry out social and cultural activities in their premises or in locations rented out by private parties. Evidence for such occurrences were identified in, but not confined to, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovenia and the Russian Federation. Refusals to rent or to provide access to these locations are connected to the LGBT-related character of these events.

No Pride events
In eight member states (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino), no large public cultural or Pride events have ever been organised, while in 27 member states no significant problems have been encountered even though in some of them, bans of Pride events have been called for.

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

Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and beyond: No recognition of same-sex marriage/partnership and adoption rights for LGBT persons - Council of Europe report

25 member states (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, Turkey and Ukraine) do not legally recognise same-sex couples through marriage, partnership registration or cohabitation rights. Some of these member states (Bulgaria, Latvia, Moldova, Lithuania, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine and Romania) have specified that marriage is the prerogative of different-sex couples.

Adoption rights
No access to joint adoption or second-parent adoption is a reality in 35 member states: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, Turkey and Ukraine.

Ten member states allow second-parent adoption to same-sex couples (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom). Apart from Finland and Germany these member states also give access to joint adoptions for same-sex couples. In Austria and France there is no access to second-parent adoption but same-sex couples in registered partnerships are allowed some parental authority or responsibilities.

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

Armenia and beyond: Heteronormativity in education and teaching materials - Council of Europe report

In a significant number of member states, including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Turkey, NGOs report that schools do not provide any information about homosexuality or if so only biased, incorrect information. Such schoolbooks and teaching materials tend to present incorrect information not reflecting the WHO de-classification of homosexuality. In Moldova, for instance, according to NGO reports, at the Medical University homosexuality is taught as a disease from text books written when it was still criminalised.

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

Georgia and beyond: Bigotry by religious leaders - Council of Europe report

Negative attitudes towards LGBT persons are also shaped by religious beliefs, such as that LGBT persons are sinful and acting against religious teaching. Such arguments draw upon a particular interpretation of religion to support the view that LGBT persons are detrimental to religion or religious believers. This report found many examples of such statements by influential religious leaders, as well as opinion leaders. In 2010, before a debate in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on a report focusing on LGBT human rights, different religious communities in Georgia collaboratively protested about “abnormalities, such as homosexuality, bisexuality and other sexual perversions, that are considered not only by Christianity but also by all other traditional religions as the greatest sin, causing degeneration and physical and mental illnesses”. [Joint written statement by the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Holy See to Georgia, Head of the Georgian Eparchy of the Armenian Apostle Church, Acting Chief Rabbi of Georgia and the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Caucasian Muslims’ Organisation in Georgia, 29 January 2010.]

However, while many religious leaders brand homosexuality as immoral and issue warnings of a demographic threat, others, like Archbishop Desmund Tutu, have highlighted that combating discrimination against LGBT persons is a matter of ordinary justice: “We struggled against apartheid in South Africa because we were being blamed and made to suffer for something we could do nothing about. It is the same with homosexuality.”

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

Armenia and beyond: No explicit recognition of persecution on the basis of sexual orientation in national legislation and data on asylum and refugee cases - Council of Europe report

Twenty-six member states have explicitly recognised in their national legislation that sexual orientation is included in the notion of “membership of a particular social group” (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden). In the other member states there is no explicit mention in their legislation. There are, however, at least seven other member states which, even in the absence of such explicit recognition, have had asylum claims in which sexual orienta- tion has been recognised as a ground for persecution (Denmark, Greece Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom) evidenced by decisions of national competent bodies in these countries.

In the other 12 member states which are parties to the 1951 Convention there is no explicit recognition of persecution on the basis of sexual orientation as a valid ground for asylum claims either in legislation or in actual successful cases filed by LGBT asylum seekers (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Georgia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Serbia and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”).

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

Turkey, Azerbaijan: Problems with access to heath care, violence and harassment against transgender persons - Council of Europe report

When they seek health care, LGBT persons sometimes perceive that they experience worse treatment in the health service than their peers. For example, reports and statements from NGOs in Albania and Azerbaijan, challenged by the health ministries of both member states, refer to hospitals which allegedly have refused to treat transgender women in accident and emergency departments. In Turkey, the Istanbul Provincial Human Rights Board has reported on similar problems as well as on the lack of privacy for medical examinations of transgender women.

Interlocutors in some member states reported incidents of violence and harassment against LGBT persons perpetrated by state actors. In Turkey harassment and violence towards LGB and especially transgender persons in Istanbul, Ankara, Mersin and Eskisehir was flagged as a major concern by several interlocutors, including in a report published by the Istanbul Provincial Human Rights Board.

Research confirms that many victims of a hate crime do not report this because of fear of expo- sure of their sexual orientation or gender identity or because of a lack of trust in the judiciary.

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

Specific obstacles for transgender persons and human rights violations - Council of Europe report

Legal recognition
In 10 Council of Europe member states this report has not identified legislation regulating the legal gender recognition. This is the case in Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Slovenia and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. Nor did this study find evidence that these 10 states offer the possibility for transgender persons to have their preferred gender legally recognised in an alternative manner (in the absence of legislation). In 13 other member states transgender persons are able to have their new gender legally recognised, either through going to court or by certain administrative practices or decrees. This is the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, France, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Poland and Serbia.

Change of name
Generally, member states require some form of medical opinion. Some states allow a change of name on documents only on production of a certificate from the medical profession confirming that gender reassignment surgery has taken place or evidence of the legal gender recognition (for example Croatia, Georgia, Latvia, Moldova, San Marino, Slovakia and Ukraine). At least three other member states require proof of hormonal treatment (Belgium, Croatia and Switzerland). In yet other states applicants need to have a gender dysphoria diagnosis to qualify for the name change (Denmark, Germany, Finland and some cantons in Switzerland). In some states such as Malta a court authorisation is required for a change of name. In the United Kingdom and Ireland a certificate from a notary is sufficient to secure a legal name change. In Ireland, it is remarkable that while it is impossible to receive legal gender recognition, there is a relatively simple procedure for a name change.

Gender reassignment treatment
Twenty-eight member states offer full or partial gender reassignment treatment to transgender persons (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Greece, Georgia, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Ukraine). The differences between these 28 member states are significant, ranging from member states where quality expertise centres are available and those where some but not all necessary treatment is available. In Malta and Ireland, for example, hormonal treatment is available, but no surgery. In yet other member states services are only available in one city.

In 13 member states (Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino) no facilities needed for gender reassignment treatments were identified. Transgender persons from these 13 countries wishing to undergo gender reassignment would then have to go abroad (they are explicitly advised to do so in some member states).

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

History in the making: New York legalises gay marriage

It's a place that gave birth to the modern gay rights movement. Stonewall. It's therefore a bit surprising it took so long for marriage equality to become a reality in New York. It seemed so natural and routine for the soul of New York that this should have been the case for ages. Still, with delays, it's truly a history in the making. It's impossible to underestimate the importance and influence of New York worldwide. It's not simply a victory for local activists. It's a victory for all of us, for anyone who cares about human rights. Well done, New York !! Mon amour.

Yes, was so f*cking amazing to wake up with the news that New York finally legalised gay marriage.

This picture of the Empire State building in New York covered in rainbow went viral today.

It has always been cool to be a New Yorker. It's now even double-triple cool...

Cheers!

Revelation (well, sort of): Armenia was the last among Council of Europe member states to decriminalise gay male sex

Of course, I knew that Armenia was very late in decriminalising gay male sex (December 2002 / August 2003). But only looking at this Table - included in the Council of Europe groundbreaking report on gay rights among member states - I realised that Armenia was in fact the last among member states to do so. Not something to be proud of, but here is a chance for amendments for Armenian authorities. Let be among the first within post-Soviet countries to start implementing equality and human-rights-for-all legislative and social changes. Dreaming? May be. But no one can deprive me of dreams. Especially if they are potentially achievable.

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.”
***
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.”

International LGBT student organisation - IGLYO, strongly condemns homophobic posters by neo-nazi group in Yerevan

For background info, read: Homophobic posters in Yerevan, Armenia

Also relevant:
Keep Yerevan clean of hate garbage - social ad by ArmComedy
Council of Europe issues non inclusive anti-discrimination report on Armenia amid rise in intolerance towards minorities

IGLYO Condemns the use of hate speech against LGBTQ people in Armenia

IGLYO states with deep concern that homophobic posters promoting hate speech have appeared in the streets of Armenia’s capital Yerevan and other major cities in the country.

An ultra-nationalist right-wing youth NGO calling themselves “Mek Azg” (“One Nation”) is preparing and distributing posters claiming “the Armenian nation to say “No” to homosexuality and erotic websites” that have already flooded the streets of Yerevan and other cities (to view the posters and get information about this anti-gay campaign in English, please, follow this link.

The NGO is also promoting xenophobia and anti-US propaganda. However, the group’s main target are LGBTQ people, with their anti-gay campaigns becoming more intense and fierce every day.

Moreover, the NGO has started creating networks and gaining allies among the so-called “national” and “patriotic” NGOs and individuals who, apart from distributing homophobic flyers and posters, use social networks to chase LGBTQ individuals, using offensive language and threatening to assault them physically.

In view of this disturbing situation, the IGLYO Board calls upon local/national and international government institutions, human rights watchdogs, NGOs and LGBTQ activists to address hate speech and discriminatory statements affecting the lives of LGBTQ people in Armenia.

As a Council of Europe member-state, Armenia must respect the PACE Resolution combating Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and take decisive steps to combat homo/bi/transphobia, hate speech and hate crimes.

Besides, Article 14.1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia states that “..any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or other personal or social circumstances shall be prohibited.”

IGLYO offers its staunch support to LGBTQ activists and human rights advocates in Armenia and urges international institutions and human rights defenders to undertake prompt measures to address these totally unacceptable violations against LGBTQ people living in this country.

The IGLYO Board

*source

Lesbian couple at first 'Kiss Party' in Tbilisi

© фото : Александр Имедашвили, NEWSGEORGIA

I wonder how people would have reacted if there was gay male couple kissing there, although based on the crowd gathered at this particular night club in Tbilisi, it seemed like a gay friendly venue in general.

What captured my attention more, however, that NewsGeorgia that originally reported the news (RU) put "female couple" within quotation marks as if they do not consider them like a normal "couple"...

Первый в Грузии конкурс поцелуев Kiss Party состоялся в тбилисском клубе Club Night. Конкурс продолжался несколько часов, в нем приняли участие шесть пар. Особый ажиотаж вызвало участие "женской пары" из двух девушек. Выиграла конкурс молодая пара - парень и девушка, жители Тбилиси, которые целовались без остановки на протяжении трех часов и десяти минут. В качестве приза пара получила недельную туристическую путевку в Турцию на двоих. Организатором конкурса выступили Club Night и компания Tiflis Tourism.

*Thanks to Tert.am for the link.

Historic memorandum between Armenia human rights Ombudsman and PINK Armenia on protection of LGBT rights

Remember this date: 4 June 2011. On that very date, during Civil Society Forum in Tsaghkadzor, for the first time ever, Armenia human rights Ombudsman and PINK Armenia signed historic memorandum on collaboration in protection of LGBT rights. Another important milestone has been passed which could lead to the development of practical mechanisms and legal basis for human rights protection of LGBT people in Armenia. What is also extremely important, perhaps for the first time, acceptable Armenian terms to refer to gay/lesbian, bisexual and transgender people were used in the official document [նույնասեռական, երկսեռական, գենդերափոխ].

PINK Armenia (@pinkarmenia)
SIGNED!!! memorandum between PINK and Ombudsman to protect the rights of #LGBT people, historical moments of Armenia! #CSforum #HRArmenia

PINK Armenia (@pinkarmenia)
June 4, the first ever Armenian document with Armenian terms to protect the rights of #LGBT people in Armenia #CSforum #HRArmenia

I would like to congratulate PINK Armenia, LGBT activists in Armenia and Diaspora and beyond, and Ombudsman's office for making a history, with the hope that what has been written in the memorandum would be implemented in practice.

Below is a selected extract from the original memorandum (AM). I have read the full text of the memorandum and have to say it provides a good basis for pretty comprehensive collaboration between sides, including individual cases and potentially developing a legal basis for furthering LGBT rights and equality in Armenia.

Memorandum is signed for 6 years: 4 June 2011 till 1 February 2017.
***

Այս Փոխըմբռման հուշագիրը (ՓՀ) կնքվում է ՀՀ մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանի /այսուհետ` Պաշտպան/ և «Հանրային տեղեկատվություն և գիտելիքի կարիք» հասարակական կազմակերպության /այսուհետ` Հասարակական կազմակերպություն/ միջև /այսուհետ` Կողմեր/:

Նկատի ունենալով ՀՀ մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանի` Հայաստանի Հանրապետության Սահմանադրությամբ, «Մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանի մասին» ՀՀ օրենքով, այլ իրավական ակտերով վերապահված` Հայաստանի Հանրապետության միջազգային պայմանագրերով, միջազգային իրավունքի սկզբունքներով ու նորմերով նախատեսված` մարդու (այդ թվում` նաև քաղաքացու) իրավունքների և հիմնարար ազատությունների պաշտպանության ոլորտում իրավասություններն ու առաքելությունը:

Հաշվի առնելով այն, որ Պաշտպանին կարող է դիմել ցանկացած ֆիզիկական անձ` անկախ ազգությունից, քաղաքացիությունից, բնակության վայրից, սեռից, ռասայից, տարիքից, քաղաքական և այլ հայացքներից ու գործունակությունից: Պաշտպանին կարող են դիմել նաև իրավաբանական անձինք:

Ելնելով այն հանգամանքից, որ նույնասեռական, երկսեռական, գենդերափոխ անձանց իրավունքների պաշտպանության ոլորտի Հասարակական կազմակերպությունները նույնասեռական, երկսեռական, գենդերափոխ անձանց իրավունքները պաշտպանելու, հանրօգուտ այլ գործունեություն իրականացնելու նպատակներով ստեղծված հասարակական միավորման տեսակ է, որոնք գործում են օրինականության, հրապարակայնության սկզբունքների հիման վրա:

Նկատի առնելով այն, որ Կողմերը կիսում են նմանատիպ առաքելություններ և ցանկանում են համագործակցել փոխադարձ հետաքրքրություն ներկայացնող` նույնասեռական, երկսեռական, գենդերափոխ անձանց իրավունքների պաշտպանության ոլորտում, որպեսզի բարձրացնեն նշված անձանց իրավունքների պաշտպանության ոլորտի զարգացմանն ուղղված իրենց ջանքերի արդյունավետությունը,

Այսուհետ` Կողմերը համաձայնում են համագործակցել հետևյալի վերաբերյալ.

Հոդված 1
Նպատակը

Այս ՓՀ-ի նպատակն է ապահովել համագործակցության շրջանակ և օժանդակել Կողմերի միջև գործակցությանը ընդհանուր հետաքրքրություն ներկայացնող ոլորտում, այն է նույնասեռական, երկսեռական, գենդերափոխ անձանց իրավունքների պաշտպանություն:

[...]

Keep Yerevan clean of hate garbage - social ad by ArmComedy

FYI mayor of Yerevan and residents. Respects to ArmComedy.



Relevant posts from my archive:

Homophobic posters in Yerevan, Armenia 

Council of Europe issues non inclusive anti-discrimination report on Armenia amid rise in intolerance towards minorities 

Armenia’s 3rd largest city Vanadzor joins Yerevan in RainbowFlash to mark the International Day Against Homophobia - for the first time ever!!

RainbowFlash in Yerevan

*picture by Nazik Armenakian

*picture - via PINK Armenia Facebook page

For the second year in a row, PINK Armenia marked the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) with a Rainbow Flash.

RainbowFlash events are organized every year. According to the data, 48 cities have participated in the event in 2010, including Yerevan, and in 2011 the number has reached till 50. Countries that participated include; Russia (23 cities in 2010), Germany (21 cities), Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Israel, Czech Republic, Singapore and Armenia. [...] 

On May 17 at 7pm people gathered in Yerevan near the Swan Lake for participating in RainbowFlash 2011. The colorful part began when everybody received our pins with “As I am” message on it. Excited, with happy smiles and high mood, we were distributing between each other the balloons. Not only LGBT people but also some heterosexual men and women were involved. [...] 

So important to have this kind of small, but reinforcing and empowering events that inspire and revive hope. Hope and faith that it is possible to live in a country, where there are posters all around the city warning people to condemn homosexuality, because it makes the nation unclean… hope and faith that change is possible and we may create our own little Armenia; all-inclusive, non-discriminatory, friendly and cheerful regardless any characteristics… 

Rays of love and positive energy were around us that day!

I could see quite a few familiar faces in this video. Love you, guys!



[Read also from my archive: PINK & friends make history in Armenia by marking IDAHO and turning Yerevan sky rainbow]
***

RainbowFlash in Vanadzor

Here is how the event was unfolded, as described by the local activist.

They didn’t have gas for the balloons. Instead, they blew the balloons themselves and put the relevant messages inside. At 4 o'clock they headed towards the “most important street” in Vanadzor. As they reached the main square, they divided and spread all over the square, and started fixing the balloons here and there. In 5 minutes, the square got ‘decorated’ (more or less) with the balloons. People started taking the balloons and destroying them to get the inside messages.

There was one guy from the media who did an interview with the activists.

After an hour or so, you could still see people walking with the balloons via the streets of Vanadzor.

I can only commend the activists in Vanadzor for this action and hope that people will get the messages... eventually

Festival De Cannes. Day 6. Red Steps – L’ Apollonide

*Noemie Lvovsky and Hafsia Herzi at Red Steps for L' Apollonide © PanARMENIAN Photo/Vahan Stepanyan

*Alice Barnole and Jasmine Trinca at Red Steps for L' Apollonide © PanARMENIAN Photo/Vahan Stepanyan

*Hafsia Herzi and Jasmine Trinca at Red Steps for L' Apollonide © PanARMENIAN Photo/Vahan Stepanyan

*source of pictures: PanARMENIAN Photo