Notorious “burn gay hearts” Putin propagandist Kiselev established club in Armenia capital

Reports surfaced today that notorious Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselev established "Griboedov" club in Armenia capital
. The aim of this so called club is to ‘exchange opinions’ between Armenians and Russians and promote ‘integration processes’. Well, we all know what it means.

Meetings are closed, reportedly at elite restaurants, over expensive meals.

Says Kiselev about gays: "They should be banned from donating blood and sperm, and if they are killed in a car crash their hearts should be buried in the ground or burnt as unfit for helping to prolong anyone's life."

Among listed local members of “Griboedov” club are at least one closeted gay Armenian and homophobic head of Radio Van station Shushanik Arevshatyan (example), along with some other odious personas.

«Հայկական ժամանակ»  թերթը գրում է. «Տեւական ժամանակ է, Երեւանում կիսագաղտնիության քողի տակ գործում է «Գրիբոյեդով» ակումբը, որի հիմնադիրը Կրեմլի քաղաքականության քարոզչության թիվ 1 հրապարակային դեմքն է՝ հայտնի հեռուստամեկնաբան Դմիտրի Կիսելյովը։ «Գրիբոյեդով» ակումբի հավաքները տեղի են ունենում ամիսը մեկ անգամ, երեւանյան տարբեր էլիտար ռեստորաններում, որոնք հավաքների ժամանակ փակվում են։ Այդ հավաքներին մասնակցելու համար ամեն ամիս Հայաստան է ժամանում անձամբ Դմիտրի Կիսելյովը, ով էլ յուրաքանչյուր անգամ մեծ-մեծ հաշիվներ է փակում էլիտար այդ ռեստորաններում ակումբի մասնակիցների ընթրիքից հետո։ Ընթրիքներն ընթանում են հարցուպատասխանի ֆորմատով, տեղացիների հարցերին պատասխանում են ՌԴ-ից հրավիրված հյուրերը, որոնք փոփոխվում են։  Հայաստանի քաղաքագետների միության նախագահ Հմայակ Հովհաննիսյանը, ով ի թիվս մի շարք այլ հայ հանրային դեմքերի, «Գրիբոյեդովի» անդամ է եւ մասնակցում է Կիսելյովի կազմակերպած հավաքներին, երեկ պատասխանել է «Գրիբոյեդով» ակումբի վերաբերյալ մեր թղթակցի հարցերին՝ հաստատելով մեր տեղեկությունները.
[…]
Հայաստանից ովքե՞ր են «Գրիբոյեդով» ակումբի անդամները:  Վազգեն Մանուկյանն է, Արմեն Մազմանյանն էր, Տիգրան Լիլոյանը՝ ԻՏԱՌ-ՏԱՍՍ-ի, էդվարդ Սանդոյանը, Կարինե Գեւորգյանը, ով աշխատում է Մոսկվայի Արեւելագիտության ինստիտուտում, ՆԱՏՕ-ի գրասենյակի ղեկավար Արա Թադեւոսյանը՝ «Մեդիամաքս», Շուշանիկ Արեւշատյանը, Եգոր Գլումովը, Շուշան Պետրոսյանը։

Azerbaijan LGBT rights activist commits suicide: “This country and this world are not for me”...

[…] Isa says that, the pressure from the family leads most LGBT (lesbian, gay,bisexual, transsexual) to suicide. 

[extract from interview with Isa Sahmarli, October 2013]

Reports say that 20 years old Isa Sahmarli, Azeri LGBT rights activist, head of Azad LGBT group, committed suicide today. According to friends, he hanged himself with the rainbow flag. This video  that impossible to watch shows unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him.


According to RFE/RL, he left a suicide note on his Facebook page reading: “I am leaving you. God bless you. This country and this world are not for me. I am going to be happy now. Tell my mother I loved her very much. I blame you all for my death. This world is not colorful enough for my colors. Farewell."

In an interview posted in October 2013, Isa commented on discrimination and abuses faced by LGBT people in Azerbaijan:

His family doesn’t want to accept that Isa is homosexual. Is also admits that it is difficult for his family to change mind. “ Though psychologists explained everything to my family ,they still accept it as illness.” Isa says that, the pressure from the family leads most LGBT (lesbian, gay,bisexual, transsexual) to suicide.

…And how many such cases go unknown or unreported, and not only in Azerbaijan…

Sadly, at times it’s such tragic events that generate reaction strong enough to shake the society to its core with changes in both attitudes and rights. Unfortunately, I do not think we will see Stonewall any time soon in Azerbaijan.

Human Rights Watch: World Report 2014 on LGBT rights violations in Armenia and Georgia, silence re Azerbaijan

Unfortunately, no similar section (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) is available within the country specific Human Rights Watch report for Azerbaijan. This is regrettable, as in a country with the poorest rights record in the South Caucasus, there is no doubts about violation of rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity too. Subsequently, without more publicity, LGBT rights in the country are moving even more underground and the issue is becoming even less visible while the rights abuses continue in Azerbaijan. Of course, the situation is exacerbated with the lack of active groups such as PINK Armenia (Yerevan) and Identoba (Tbilisi) in Baku.

Armenia

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights activists have expressed concern for the alarming level of homophobia in Armenia. According to PINK Armenia, a local rights group, transgender women who engage in sex work are frequently assaulted and receive no police protection when they report abuse. PINK Armenia also reported that the LGBT population continues to experience employment discrimination, obstacles to health care, and physical and psychological abuse in the army, in public, and in families.

According to an August Amnesty International report, government officials frequently condone violent attacks against LGBT people, characterizing the violence as an expression of “traditional values.” In July, the Armenian police made a proposal to amend the code of administrative offenses to establish a fine of up to US$4,000 for promoting “nontraditional sexual relationships.” The proposal was subsequently withdrawn.

Also in July, a Yerevan court convicted two people for damage to property stemming from a bomb attack in May 2012 against DIY, a bar frequented by LGBT and women’s rights activists. Graffiti identified LGBT people as targets of the attack. One attacker was sentenced to 19 months in prison and the other received a two-year suspended sentence. They were both amnestied in October. Local human rights groups expressed frustration that the sentence was too lenient. Armenia does not have hate speech legislation.

Georgia

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

On May 17, 2013, a peaceful gathering to mark International Day Against Homophobia was violently disrupted by thousands of counter-demonstrators, including some Orthodox clergy. The day before, the patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church publicly urged the authorities not to allow the gathering, calling it an “an insult” to Georgian traditions. Police had to evacuate the LGBT activists to safety, but they failed to contain the mob, which attacked a van carrying the activists, throwing stones and other objects; one journalist was hit on the head and briefly hospitalized. Authorities charged two Orthodox priests and three other men with obstructing freedom of assembly and petty hooliganism. The Tbilisi City Court ordered that charges be dropped against one priest. At time of writing, the trials against the others were ongoing.

Identoba, a local LGBT rights group, reported 34 incidents of violence and intimidation against LGBT people during and after the May 17 incident. The group noted that many victims do not report homophobic violence due to fear of retribution and police failure to investigate adequately.

Yerevan Diaries: camp design

Things I notice while walking the streets of Yerevan ;))

#DieselReboot

*London

Shoes, sex, Selfridges, London

*A different shopping experience ;))  shoes section, Selfridges, London 

[Pigmy Hippos, Jake & Dino Chapmans]