Armenia: Rare display of diversity and unity on Human Rights Day in Yerevan

Day started with reports that Armenia human rights ombudsman office calls for a... "day of silence" on Human Rights Day. ["ՀՀ մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանի գրասենյակը դեկտեմբերի 10-ը հայտարարել է Լռության օր:"] Very telling of the ombudsman. Over the last year he either kept silence on human rights abuses or - worse - effectively became part of it, by siding with neo-nazi and homophobia. Instead, activists did what they should do on Human Rights Day - act, speak out, protest for human rights.

This year, human rights march in Yerevan was a rare display of diversity and unity. Organised by opposition Armenian National Congress, today's march was unique in a way it was able to unite people of various political, social and ethnic backgrounds, including anarchists, LGBT activists, feminists, with a wide rights agenda.

There were no attacks towards bearers of rainbow flag, like during anti-Putin demo a week ago, even police was behaving pretty civilised. [see P.S. towards the end] It was like a dream come true, even if for a moment. But this is a picture of Armenia I want to see more and more often, and eventually as a matter of routine.

"Everyone is different, everyone is equal" - as per reports, activists were chanting this slogan during the march too. Guys, you rock!!

@Sevak_change: Էսօր #մարդու #իրավունք-ների #երթ-ի ժամանակ մարդիկ ի թիվս այլ լոզունգների բղավում էին «ԲՈԼՈՐՍ ՏԱՐԲԵՐ, ԲՈԼՈՐՍ ՀԱՎԱՍԱՐ»:

Ընտիր էր: Միասնական, սոլիդար: Շատ լավ անցավ:

*pictures - via ourmine

I love this video by epress.am. Pay attention to feminist statement towards the beginning of the  video; also what people chanting when passing by Russian embassy; and in general the sense of diversity and unity. Awesome.



And another cool video with rainbow flag, feminist symbolism and "Secular Armenia" poster.



P.S. After this post was published, I was told that there was small incident after the march when woman war veteran tried shouting at activist Lala Aslikyan to put down rainbow flag. But the incident did not get escalated to any significant effect.

Outside Russia's capital: alternative sub-cultures united for their rights

This intended picket by representatives of Russian alternative sub-cultures and gay groups in a provincial town Liska may well be banned. But the very fact of youth groups (including emo, punks, anarchists, rappers, bikers, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people), however small, united for their rights in one of Russia's provincial towns is remarkable.

GayRussia.ru: During their picket on 12 December [Constitution Day] participants plan to go under the main slogan “Authorities stifle subculture!” Participants want to ruin the stereotypes about informal youth groups. They will shout: “Emu is not a state enemy!” [should be "emo"], “Punks are friendly with hygiene!”, “Hippies are not drug addicts”, and “Homosexuality is not a perversion but a norm!”.