Attack against gay friendly DIY bar and disruption of diversity march feature in the UK Foreign Office "travel advice to Armenia"

For the first time, updated "travel advice to Armenia" by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)  features attack against gay friendly DIY bar in Yerevan and disruption of diversity march by neo-nazi groups and elements.

In May 2012 a gay-friendly bar in downtown Yerevan was attacked and a diversity march in central Yerevan was disrupted by nationalist groups. See Local Laws and Customs.

Under the Local Laws and Customs, British Foreign Office continues:

Homosexuality was decriminalised in 2003 but is still viewed with disapproval by many Armenians. Local LGBT groups occasionally suffer from verbal and physical harassment. Although same sex couples are often seen holding hands and kissing in public, this is common in Armenian culture, and is not necessarily an indicator of sexual orientation. You should be discreet.

Historic Petition: Armenians Support LGBT Rights in Armenia

The Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of New York has sponsored the following historic petition that is co-signed by 20+ leading Armenian cultural figures who have unified their voices to support human rights in Armenia. This is the first time such a petition has been created in support of LGBT human rights in Armenia.

Please sign and share the petition with all your friends, family and allies.

[I am so glad to see one of my favourite film-makers, prominent Canadian Armenian director Atom Egoyan signature under the petition.]

* * *

For Immediate Release

June 26, 2012

The Government of Armenia: Honor the Constitutional Right of Each Citizen 

We, the undersigned, write to support democratic and human rights for all in Armenia. We are disturbed by the May 8 firebombing of the gay-friendly bar DIY and the subsequent vandalism of the space. Attacks on the May 21st Cultural Diversity march in Yerevan by a few hundred “neo-fascists,” some wearing swastikas, lead us to fear that the democratic nature of Armenian society is threatened. Though police have done an admirable job of maintaining order over the course of the attacks, the government has not responded directly to the incidents, nor produced a clear message of tolerance for diversity. Some members of the Armenian government have even made statements condoning these attacks, going so far as to claim that such violence against LGBT Armenians is a means of protecting “the national ideology.”

We stand with the United Nations, the United States Embassy, Amnesty International, the Armenian Ombudsman, the European Union and the Council of Europe, in calling for the Armenian government to act in alignment with global human rights values. We call on President Serzh Sargsyan, his administration, members of Parliament, and all local governing leaders to honor the constitutional right of each citizen of the Armenian Republic to be treated with dignity and respect.

Initial signatories include: Nancy Agabian, Shushan Avagyan, Arlene Avakian, Peter Balakian, Anna Barseghian, Eve Beglarian, Eric Bogosian, Chris Bohjalian, Diana Der Hovanessian, Gregory Djanikian, Atom Egoyan, Aris Janigian, TJ Jourian, Nina Katchadourian, David Kherdian, Nancy Kricorian, Micheline Aharonian Marcom, Marc Nichanian, Meline Toumani, Hrag Vartanian

The text of the petition may be found here.

Neo-nazi attack Diversity march in Armenia capital Yerevan calling it "gay pride"

To mark United Nation's World Day of Cultural Diversity, PINK Armenia and Women's Resource Centre announced a variety of events as part of the Diversity Week. The week should have kicked off with the Diversity march on 21 May to call for respect of... yes, diversity in Armenia.

But the notion of diversity was once again attacked in Armenia in an organised provocation by neo-nazi elements and their supporters. To gain a wider support among masses, they dubbed Diversity march a "gay pride" and fuelled aggression towards marchers by intentionally spreading misleading information.

Neo-nazi elements  attacked marchers encouraged by endorsement of homophobic hysteria and anti-gay violence on a very high state level that followed firebombing of DIY bar. Interestingly, while some participants praised police action during the march, others are of different opinion [Not in my name]. All this happened amid new confirmed reports of attacks towards DIY bar.

Watch these reports. Look at these pictures. Faces of fascism in Armenia.

*pictures - © PanARMENIAN Photo / Tigran Mehrabyan

Comment of the Day: ‘What if you will be the next target and nobody will stand up for you?’ (re neo-nazi attack on DIY bar)

"There are won’t be any marches in Yerevan. No candle lights, no straight folks walking hand in hand with gays or bi’s in the streets of Yerevan claiming the governments disapproval of such hate crime.

What are they waiting for ? Do they need some dead bodies ? A sensational crime scene decorated by bloodshed … what the hell the Armenian people are waiting for ? Go out ! Shout out, people ! Say “we don’t want bigotery in this country ! We had enough of it !

What ? This issue doesn’t concern you ? What if you will be the next target and nobody will come out to stand up for you ?

Think about it !"

*source: comment posted under Hate Crime Targets Gay Friendly Bar in Yerevan, MPs Bail out Assailants (The Armenian Weekly)

[For background: HATE CRIME: DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan under neo-nazi arson attack]