Truly heartbreaking news beyond words… As per Epress report, hatred and pressures from family may have been the last straw leading them to commit suicide.
Դեպքից որոշ ժամանակ առաջ անչափահաս տղան փախել էր տնից։ Երիտասարդների համատեղ լուսանկարների մեկնաբանություններում նրանցից մեկի մայրը գրել էր՝ «ես էլ չկամ», «դու, որպես անչափահաս, լավ կլինի գնաս սատկես», իսկ «հետինդ պատասխան ա տալու օրենքի ամենադաժան խստությամբ», «էտ չափահաս ոչխարը իրա կյանքի դժոխքը ստորագրեց»։ Տղաների (ենթադրյալ) ինքնասպանությունից հետո կինը հեռացրել է իր բոլոր մեկնաբանությունները, փոխարենը՝ հրապարակել մահացած որդու լուսանկարը՝ «Իմ սիրուն բալա 🖤🖤🖤 Կյանքիս ամենասև օրը» մակագրությամբ։Whatever the exact underlying reasons that led them to commit suicide, it will be reflective of multilevel triggers and failures. Personal issues, including mental health, family (the above comments which mother reportedly posted and then deleted, as per Epress - this has not been refuted - can never be viewed as supportive even though some friends of family later tried suggesting a ‘supportive loving family environment’), society with rampant homophobia and lack of widely accessible mental health support services…
As usual in such cases, we got a mixture of supportive and hateful comments on social media. But unfortunately the reaction was far from what can be described as “shock”, as CivilNet suggested, even though I would have liked to see the Armenian society shocked to the core so that actions can be taken and processes put in place.
See below report by RFE/RL Armenian service:
As of now, there have been a total silence from state level officials. They continue the shameful trend of not acknowledging the existence of LGBT citizens. Silence was the reaction, not the shock.
This suicide of young gay couple exposed yet again Armenia’s appalling record re LGBT rights and societal homophobia in contrast with country’s high democratic credentials achieved since 2018 Velvet Revolution.
The three countries at the bottom of the Rainbow Europe 2022 scale are Azerbaijan (2%), Turkey (4%), and Armenia (8%), exactly the same as the last two years. [Ironically, when it comes to LGBT rights, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey share the accolade of being the worst]
Yes, it’s difficult to think of anything else when you are consumed by concerns of security and survival in the face of attacks by dictatorial neighbours Azerbaijan and Turkey.
For a long time I could not concentrate on writing for those very reasons. But just because we don’t write, just because we don’t speak up, doesn’t mean that the situation on the ground is becoming any less appalling. ‘It’s not a good time…’ - we hear or say to ourselves. It is always a good time to speak up about human rights. Or else, that ‘good time’ will never come.
In the meantime, if you suffer from similar issues, please contact some of the support services, such as those provided by PINK Armenia (see below details).
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