Two years ago, to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO - 17 May), I launched Unzipped: Gay Armenia LIST 2008.
This LIST recognises individuals, organisations, media, blogs, events and other contributors(tions) to gay rights and equality in Armenia and Diaspora. It also 'names' main homophobic occurrences over the past year, to evolve eventually into Armenian version of Homophobia Hall of Shame. [As you know, Armenia Homophobia Hall of Shame is already live.]
I did not manage to post 2009 version of the LIST last year due to busy schedule around that time. However, I aim to rectify this and post a 2010 LIST which will now incorporate and reflect events and individuals over the past two years: from 17 May 2008 to 17 May 2010 inclusive.
LIST 2008 was compiled solely by myself. From 2010 onwards, I do want to incorporate your suggestions and submissions too.
Dear readers, please have a look at Unzipped: Gay Armenia LIST 2008, and make your submissions for any or each of the listed categories.
Your submissions should cover two years: 17 May 2008 to 17 May 2010.
You are welcome to suggest new categories too. Please, suggest a new category only if you have something or someone to nominate for, as I want to make this LIST a very practical one.
To assist in your selections, you may use archives of my blog covering the relevant time period (available on the right hand side of this blog). You may also use your own or other sources.
While making submissions, along with the category, please indicate name(s) or event(s) and a relevant link. If for any reason, no link is available to prove your nomination, please provide a more detailed description on the reasons of your nomination.
Please, submit your nomination(s) via email only. (my email address is available on the upper right hand side of this blog)
I like this new ad by Orange Armenia. It’s all about rainbow (= peace, diversity, inclusive society...), and you know, WE like rainbow, so I guess it’s about all of us too ;)
Thanks to Transgenders in Armenia for this video clip (unfortunately, no sound for technical reasons). As the blog pointed out in an earlier post, “every time watching this new ad by Orange, it looks as if LGBT movement started in Armenia” :)
Amen angam Orangi nor govazdy najeluc, inc tvum a LGBT sharjum a sksvel HH-um :)
Dramatic developments in Tbilisi escalated over night into a fistfight between religious fundamentalists & neo-nazi groups and free speech advocates.
Below are extracts of reports coming out from Georgia with videos of the incident.
*** Fundamentalists start punch up at TV station Georgian International Media Centre
A debate between supporters of free speech and religious fundamentalists seeking to ban the publication of a controversial book - said to insult the church and promote homosexuality - degenerated into a punch up after the fundamentalists turned to violence, reports Civil.ge. [see below]
Controversy over the book "Saidumlo Siroba" - the name is a play on the Georgian for "Last Supper" and could be translated as "Holy Crap" - has been rumbling on at Tbilisi State Univeristy all week and last night Kavkasia TV, a cable station in Tbilisi known for its willingness to discuss controversial issues around the church, attempted to hold a discussion between advocates of the book's banning and free speech campaigners and university staff. [...]
*** Radical Orthodox Christian Group Stirs Fistfight in TV Station Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 8 May.'10 / 03:56
Live televised debates in Kavkasia TV's studio between leaders of hardline Orthodox Christian groups and thier opponents grew into a fistfight outside the Tbilisi-based station's studio late on Friday night.
Young men affiliated with radical group, known as Union of Orthodox Christian Parents, which has became associated with a newly established People's Orthodox Christian Movement, verbally and physically assaulted some of Kavkasia TV program's guests and also some members of the station's staff, witnesses said.
Kavkasia TV's talk show, Barieri (Barrier), hosted by Nino Jangirashvili, featured several invited guests and an audience in in the studio. Among the guests were Malkhaz Gulashvili, owner of the Georgian Times media holding and a co-founder of People's Orthodox Christian Movement; Nana Devdariani, a former public defender and chairperson of Central Election Commission during Eduard Shevardnadze's presidency and Levan Chachua, a member of Union of Orthodox Christian Parents. Thier opponents during the debates were professor Sergo Ratiani, head of Ilia State University's administration; Teo Khatiashvili, a film critic and Beka Mindiashvili, a religious rights activist.
Topic of the debate was developments of recent days related to series of confrontations between young followers of radical Orthodox groups and thier critics, who consider newly established People's Orthodox Christian Movement as "a fascist" organization. May 7 also saw a confrontation between the two groups.
In the beginning of the program, the host expressed hope that the debates would have been "vibrant, but much calmer and more constructive than they have been in recent days."
But from the very start debates took an ugly turn. Gulashvili told the opponents for couple of times: "Your are not liberals; you are liberasts."
He used a term which apparantly is a wordplay of liberals and pederasts; the latter is used in Georgia as a derogative form for gays.
Beka Mindiashvili told Gulashvili that it was up to police to deal with the activists of his organization, because of the May 4 attack on peaceful demonstrators.
About an hour after the start of the program, Beka Mindiashvili said there was no reason to continue discussion with his opponents and left the studio, followed by Teo Khatiashvili and then by Sergo Ratiani.
Shortly after that the program was interrupted for a commercial break; it resumed about 20 minutes later - much longer than it takes for commercial break on Kavkasia TV.
When the program resumed, the host announced that after several guest of the program left the studio, before the commercial break, representatives of Union of Orthodox Christian Parents, outside the studio, started to verbally insult them, "trying to provoke them". She said it grew into fistfight in which several TV staff members were also physically assaulted. Kavkasia TV's founder, Davit Akubardia, was also attacked.
Scuffle reoccurred again shortly after that announcement by the talk show host and she called on the police "to immediately come and curb this". Several minutes later, several members from Union of Orthodox Christian Parents, including several priest, entered into the studio telling the program host that it was "a provocation staged by you". Police also arrived in the studio . It was reported later that at least three men were arrested; some reports said that four men were detained.
The program resumed few minutes later with some opposition politicians arriving in the Kavkasia TV studio condemning the incident. General Director of Georgian Public Broadcaster, Gia Chanturia, accompanied by GPB's boar chairman Levan Gakheladze also arrived "to express solidarity" towards the Kavkasia TV.
Some opposition politicians in the studio, including Tina Khidasheli of the Republican Party, part of the Alliance for Georgia, said that she thought the hardline Orthodox Christian groups were given free hand by the authorities.
"They would not have dared to do things like this without having support of the authorities," Khidasheli said and added that it was in the authorities interests to provoke this kind of incidents in order to redirect attention from upcoming local elections.
Malkhaz Gulashvili, who founded People's Orthodox Christian Movement, in March, 2010, told the movement members at an indoor gathering on May 7, that the movement was launching struggle "to set Georgia free of a dictate by Liberty Institute" - an influential Tbilisi-based think tank with links to the authorities. Gulashvili said Liberty Institute and its affiliates in Ilia State University's administration were "promoting anti-religious ideology."
Gulashvili in the past was a business partner with the Georgian Industrial Group (GIG), a conglomerate owned by lawmaker from the ruling party, Davit Bezhuashvili - a brother of Gela Bezhuashvili, chief of the Georgian intelligence service. Gulashvili and GIG were partners through holding shares in business news agency, Georgian Business Consulting. GIG also owns shares in Rustavi 2; Mze and Pirveli Sterao TV stations. Gulashvili, however, said recently that he no longer had any business or other type of links with Bezhuashvili.
***
Noted Georgian dissidents Anna Dolidze and Irakli Kakabadze have issued a strongly worded statement against those seeking to ban the controversial book "Saidumlo Siroba" ('Holy Crap')
Members of neo-Nazi groups who continue to publicly perpetrate acts of violence and attacks against activists for freedom of expression should be swiftly brought to justice. The fact that the Georgian police and Prosecutor’s Office put a blind eye as Georgian neo-Nazi groups continue to attack and harass journalists and activists amounts to their support to increased violence perpetrated by these groups. [...]
In the wake of upcoming municipal elections on the May 30th, a strong wave hate speech against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has been unleashed forcefully by radical nationalist and religious groups in Georgia. We have witnessed several high profile cases in which Georgian politicians, parliamentarians, public figures and journalists have brought LGBT issues in politicized context, making LGBT community the target for defamation, disgrace and physical violence.
During the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) the issue of hearing on the resolution on “Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity” gave push to controversy in Georgia, thus prompting the leaders of several religious communities to condemn PACE’s intention to address the issue of homophobia. This criticism was immediately accelerated by Christian Democrat’s Movement, a political party represented in the Georgian Parliament. The Party misinterpreted resolution as obligatory instrument for recognizing same sex marriage and parental rights and was able to stir negative PR for the resolution in Georgia.
Several weeks later, new People’s Orthodox Movement was founded by Mr. Malkhaz Gulashvili, a newspaper publisher known for his close ties with the Russian authorities. His Moscow ties has frequently put him in a position when he needed to answer pressing questions about his fidelity to Georgian national interests. Instead of submitting direct answers, Mr. Gulashvili adopted a strategy to drive away from the discussion by irrelevantly scape-goating lesbians and gays, problematizing homosexuality and calling them perverts and sick. This has enabled him and his supporters redirect any public discussion from his own agenda. Mr. Gulashvili has dangerously partaken in into endless and shameless session of insult and defamation of his LGBT co nationals. He and other members of the movement have been outspoken rather radically, calling on punishing all who are, in his words “against orthodox beliefs and values”.
As a matter of fact, on the May 3rd 2010, International Press Freedom Day, extremist orthodox organizations: Peoples' Orthodox Movement and Orthodox Parents' Union organized rally in front of Ilia State University that later on was joined by two Mayoral candidates. They requested withdrawal of Irakli Deisadze’s book from the university bookstore. The newly published book is criticizing extremist orthodox ideology, allegedly including passages that may upset the feelings of Christian Orthodox believers. In addition, the protesters have requested to allocate place for Orthodox worship in the state university and demanded dismissal of University Rector Mr. Gigi Tevzadze. The latter, they claimed, drives the youth (meaning students) to perversion. Organizers disseminated information leaflets that presented excerpts from the book with the accent on content of the book that has homosexual allusions.
On May 4th 2010, responding to this attack on Ilia State University, a number of civil activists decided to stage flash mob in front of the same university to defend the freedom of expression and alert public about the fascistic hysteria in the country. They feared that demanding to ban a piece of publication from the university bookstore is an extremely alarming signal of infringement of one’s constitutional and inalienable right to free expression and access to information.
During the May 4th demonstration, several persons from People’s Orthodox Movement joined the mob and attempted to disrupt it. Later on, members of extremist groups, they steadily outnumbered the civil activists, have started targeting organizers and participants. Street bullying has taken place, coupled with anti-gay slogans and chase, beating and otherwise attacks on civil activists physical and mental integrity. This has happened regardless of the fact that the mob aimed at supporting general freedom of speech and not any particular groups' rights. In other words, this was not an LGBT demonstration whatsoever. Police have not interfered adequately, they only tried to separate individuals when fight have become extreme. Neither did they stop perpetrators from limiting right of free assembly of mob participants. In addition to this they made participants leave the territory while letting perpetrators remain in control of the vicinity until they made sure mob was disrupted.
Several participants were severely beaten up in front of police officers, others were chased in the street by perpetrators with knives in their hands. Perpetrators were individually asking about participants sexual orientation while targeting them. While doing so, they have been threatening with physical liquidation and sexual assault. Several persons have suffered brain concoction and corporal injuries. Some have been targeted on following day in their neighborhoods after been identified through television coverage.
We appeal to the relevant authorities in Georgia to denounce their position on impunity policy in relation to these extremist groups over last two years. None of the members of these groups have been punished or held otherwise accountable. This is contributing to increasingly threatening violent actions on their behalf. They simply grew stronger and are equipped with the sense of moral supremacy since the politicians, the judiciary and the general public not only denounce their disruptive actions, but silently side with them.
We appeal to diplomatic missions in Georgia to raise this issue with the Georgian authorities. We also appeal to the representation of the Council of Europe to remind Georgia of its obligation to respect human rights and dignity of its citizens. We urge the EU institutions to reflect on this incident during evaluating progress of European Neighborhood Policy National Action Plan, in the process of bilateral Human Rights Dialogue, and in the frames of Eastern Partnership talks. We will include this incident in shadow report when Georgia undergoes Universal Periodic Review with UN Human Rights Council.
We appeal to human rights groups worldwide to address Georgia’s diplomatic representations abroad, and to ask them condemn hate biased violence against any person in Georgia, exacerbated by the impunity Georgian state has delegated to extremist groups.
Congratulations to PINK Armenia and big thanks to all those who participated and supported a groundbreaking presentation and discussions of the results of legal analysis and qualitative research on discrimination towards LGBT people and state with their human rights in Armenia conducted within the framework of “We and Our Rights” project. It was history in the making in Armenian gay rights movement. Here is hoping for practical results to follow.
During the event, there was an excellent coverage of this truly historic presentation on #LGBTArmenia (official Twitter hashtag for the event) by @pinkarmenia and @Lara_Aha. Some great tweets out there. Now need time to digest and get more insight.
Detailed blog posts to come later, over the coming days. Watch this space.
UPDATE: #LGBTArmenia: Compilation of live tweets from a historic LGBT rights event in Armenia part 1 and part 2
Below is a statement by Europe's main LGBT right group - ILGA-Europe, in relation to the resolution adopted by PACE on Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan are members of the Council of Europe and PACE, and this resolution applies to all South Caucasus countries. Read my previous post on some Armenian reactions.
3 May 2010
For immediate release
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly strongly condemns discrimination against LGBT people in Europe
On 29 April 2010, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a Resolution on Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This is the second time in a few weeks that a major Council of Europe institution has come out strongly in support of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people: on 31 March 2010, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe unanimously adopted a historic Recommendation on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. [see my relevant post here]
ILGA-Europe welcomes the adoption of this Resolution which addresses all the major issues of discrimination against LGBT people and encourages the 47 member states of the Council of Europe to take steps to fight such discrimination.
The adopted Resolution points to an extensive range of human rights violations affecting the lives of millions of people which still take place within the member states of the Council of Europe.
Freedom of assembly and expression: the Resolution calls these rights pillars of democracy and calls upon member states to ensure these rights are respected in line with international human rights standards.
Hate speech: the Resolution identifies hate speech by certain politicians, religious and other civil society leaders as well as hate speech in the media and internet as being of particular concern. It condemns hate speech and discriminatory statements and calls for effective protection for LGBT people from such statements.
Hate crime: the resolution stresses that the eradicating of homophobia and transphobia requires political will in member states and calls for provision of legal remedies to victims and putting an end to impunity for those who violate fundamental rights of LGBT people to life and security.
Anti-discrimination: the Resolution calls upon member states to adopt and implement anti-discrimination legislation which includes sexual orientation and gender identity among the prohibited grounds for discrimination and provide sanctions for infringement and effective reporting mechanisms for cases of discrimination.
Transgender people: the Resolution particularly highlights the cycle of discrimination and human rights deprivation that transgender people experience. The Resolution calls for specific measures by member states to ensure that identity documents should be changed to reflect a person's preferred gender identity without prior obligation to undergo sterilisation or other medical procedures such as gender reassignment surgery and hormonal therapy.
Young people: the Resolution stresses the particularly serious consequences of homophobia and transphobia for young LGBT people and underlines the importance of not criticising the perceived or declared sexual orientation of young people, particularly of those under the age of 18.
LGBT families: the Resolution points out that the denial of rights to de facto LGBT families in some member states must be addressed through legal recognition and protections of those families. Regretfully, the Resolution calls for the legal recognition of same-sex partnerships only when national legislation envisages such recognition.
Parenting: the Resolution calls for the possibility for joint parental responsibility of each partner’s children bearing in mind the best interests of children.
Asylum: the Resolution calls upon member states to recognise persecution of LGBT people as a ground for granting asylum.
Additionally, the parliamentarians urge the Council of Europe to allocate resources to work on LGBT issues, and to include violence against LBT women in the drafting of its proposed Violence against Women Convention.
Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe’ said:
“This is a very significant development and in a space of one month we see two major Council of Europe institutions adopting comprehensive documents not just strongly condemning discrimination against LGBT people but mapping how the 47 member states should address such discrimination.
We believe this is a solid foundation and a valuable practical tool helping the Council of Europe’s member states develop their laws, policies and practices towards elimination of discrimination against LGBT people and ensuring their fundamental human rights.
Moreover, we believe the Council of Europe has made it crystal clear that homophobia, transphobia, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity are completely unacceptable in Europe and need to be tackled head on.”
Aravot’s editor Aram Abrahamyan expressed his dismay at what he considers false displays of “European values”. “No one can convince me that [sexual] relations between two men are as normal as between a man and a woman”, writes Abrahamyan. He calls homosexuality “disgusting”, “disorder” etc. He is convinced that discussions of such issues discredit PACE and Council of Europe (and “European values”) in Armenia.
Տիպիկ «եվրոպական» թեմա
Եվրոպայի խորհրդի խորհրդարանական վեհաժողովում այս օրերին քննարկվում է միասեռականներին պաշտպանող հերթական բանաձեւը: Որքան հասկանում եմ, այդ փաստաթղթի հիմնական իմաստն է լինելու արձանագրումն առ այն, որ համասեռամոլությունը միանգամայն նորմալ երեւույթ է, որի հանդեպ ցանկացած քննադատություն դիտվում է որպես անհանդուրժողականության դրսեւորում: Կարելի է վստահաբար պնդել, որ Հայաստանում թե՛ նման հարցերի քննարկումը եւ թե՛, առավել եւս, նման բանաձեւերի ընդունումը նպաստում է այդ՝ առանց այն էլ ոչ այնքան հեղինակավոր կազմակերպության հեղինակության հետագա անկմանը: «Ձեռքի հետ» վարկաբեկվում է ոչ միայն ԵԽԽՎ-ն, այլեւ եվրոպական արժեքներն ընդհանրապես՝ հաստատելով «պատի տակի» հայտնի խոսակցությունները. «էս չի՞ ձեր Եվրոպան՝ մեր վզին ուզում է փաթաթել «գալուբոյներին» ու «եհովայի վկաներին»: Դրան գումարվում են եվրոպական դիտորդների կողմից մեր՝ ավելի քան ասիական ընտրությունների գովերգումը եւ Հայաստանում քաղբանտարկյալների ու խոսքի ազատության ոտնահարումների մասին նրանց վեհերոտ հայտարարությունները. արդյունքում ստեղծվում է մի ամբողջական պատկեր, որը թույլ է տալիս մեզ կասկածել՝ արդյոք ժամանակակից եվրոպական չինովնիկները Կանտի, Մոնտեսկյոյի, Ջոն Լոքի հետնորդնե՞րն են, թե՞ նրանք ինչ-որ անհասկանալի ճանապարհներով բուծած «նոր մարդիկ» են, որոնք «հանդուրժողականություն» եւ «պոլիտկոռեկտություն» հասկացողությունները հասցրել են ծայրահեղ մարազմի: Այնպիսի մարազմի, որ իրենց կազմակերպության, թեկուզ ժամանակավոր, ղեկավար են ընտրել թուրքին:
Ոչ ոք ինձ չի կարող համոզել, որ տղամարդու կապը տղամարդու հետ նույնքան բնական է, որքան տղամարդու եւ կնոջ: Ավելին՝ ոչ ոք չի կարող ապացուցել, որ սոդոմական այդ մեղքը բխում է եվրոպական (այսինքն՝ ծագումով քրիստոնեական) որեւէ չափանիշից կամ պահանջից: Իհարկե, մարդկանց չի կարելի հետապնդել համասեռամոլության համար. ասենք, որեւէ մեկին աշխատանքի ընդունելիս ոչ ոք իրավունք չունի սահմանափակումներ դնել սեռական կողմնորոշման պատճառով՝ դա իրենց անձնական գործն է: Բայց թույլ տալ նրանց հասարակությանն ի ցույց դնել իրենց արատը՝ նշանակում է չհարգել իմ, ինչպես նաեւ՝ մեծամասնության իրավունքները. ինչո՞ւ պետք է ես կամ իմ երեխաները տեսնեն այս այլանդակությունը, եթե այն ագրեսիվ է եւ ցուցադրական:
Երբ երեկ այս բանաձեւը քննարկվում էր ԵԽԽՎ սոցիալիստների խմբում, Արմեն Ռուստամյանն ու Սամեդ Սեիդովը, որոնք այդ խմբի անդամ են, դեմ քվեարկեցին դրան, եւ Ադրբեջանի ներկայացուցիչն առաջարկեց ֆիքսել, որ այս հարցում մեր երկրների մեջ հակասություններ չկան: Բայց եվրոպական չինովնիկներին, բնականաբար, չի հուզում, թե ինչպես են նրանց նախաձեռնությունները ընկալվելու այս տարածաշրջանում: Եթե նրանք մի բան որոշել են՝ կանեն: Իրական հանդուրժողականությունը նրանց մոտ բացակայում է:
ԱՐԱՄ ԱԲՐԱՀԱՄՅԱՆ
Armenian MPs Artsruni Aghajanyan and Naira Zohrabyan were among 25 parliamentarians who voted “against”. The resolution was adopted with 51 “in favour”. (they did not vote for Recommendation which was adopted too).
Naira Zohrabyan is a representative of governmental coalition member Bargavatch Hayastan (‘Prosperous Armenia’) party. In public, (along with her party) she is acting as a very pro-European, advocating Armenia’s integration into the EU etc. As it frequently happens, the reality is far from her public statements. She followed “advice” of Armenian church on voting against the resolution.
ՀԱՅ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՆ՝ ԸՆԴԴԵՄ ԵԽԽՎ ՓԱՍՏԱԹՂԹԻ
51 կողմ, 25 դեմ եւ 5 ձեռնպահ ձայներով ԵԽԽՎ-ն երեկ, ուշ երեկոյան, ընդունեց «Սեռական կողմնորոշման եւ գենդերային նույնականության հիմքի վրա խտրականությունը» բանաձեւը: Դեմ քվեարկածների մեջ էին Հայաստանի պատվիրակներ Արծրունի Աղաջանյանը եւ Նաիրա Զոհրաբյանը: Վերջինիս դեռ մարտի 12-ին էր Մայր Աթոռ Սուրբ Էջմիածնի կաթողիկոսարանի դիվանապետ Արշակ եպիսկոպոս Խաչատրյանը դիմել այդ նախագծի առնչությամբ՝ նշելով. «Նախաձեռնությունն, ըստ էության, ուղղված լինելով միասեռականության պաշտպանությանը՝ վերջինիս հանդեպ ցանկացած քննադատություն դիտարկում է իբրեւ հասարակական համերաշխության խախտում եւ «ատելության հրահրում»։ Նույն անընդունելի տրամաբանությամբ՝ փաստաթուղթը որպես օրինաչափ ու բնական երեւույթ է ներկայացնում միասեռ ամուսնությունները՝ թելադրություն պարունակելով նաեւ կրթական համակարգի ուսուցման գործընթացում միասեռականությունը դիտարկել իբրեւ բնական ապրելակերպի մի ձեւ:
Հարգարժան տիկին Զոհրաբյան, ավելորդ ենք համարում անդրադառնալ կործանարար հետեւանքներին, որոնք անխուսափելիորեն կառաջանան թե՛ մեր եւ թե՛ այլ երկրների հասարակությունների կյանքում հիշյալ փաստաթղթի ընդունման դեպքում։ Միանշանակ է, որ նախագծում ամփոփված մոտեցումներն ամբողջապես հակառակ են քրիստոնեական բարոյականության հիմնադրույթներին՝ սոսկական սպառնալիք պարունակելով հասարակական գիտակցության մեջ չեզոքացնելու Մեղքի գաղափարը եւ մարդկանց անհատական վարքագծից տարանջատելու անձնական պատասխանատվությունը»: Այս նկատառումներից ելնելով՝ կաթողիկոսարանի դիվանապետը խնդրել էր հնարավոր ջանքերն ու միջոցները գործադրել այդ նախագծի ընդունումը կանխելու համար։
Bizarre story to come out from Azerbaijan. Pay attention that Today.az puts "love" in quotation marks. My impression is that this was not a "kidnap" story but rather two lesbian lovers run away from parents to be able to live together. It probably got 'transformed' into a "kidnap" story after parents' involvement.
***
Today.Az » Society » Lesbian from Azerbaijani region kidnaps her "love" and tries to escape
Strange incident took place in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan. In order to get married, female resident of the Novruzlu district Sangama Gulieva kidnapped a 19yr old Gulnara (name changed), according to the police department of Agdam.
The parents of kidnapped girl notified the police of this incident. Soon, the police was able to contain both girls in Baharly village for the internally displaced persons.
Interesting thing is, the kidnapped girl actually claimed that she did run off on her own, and also said that she "would commit suicide" unless she reunites with her "love". The investigation of this case is still underway.
On 4 May 2010, there will be a groundbreaking presentation and discussion of the results of legal analysis and sociological research conducted within the framework of “We and Our Rights” project by “Public Information and Need of Knowledge” (PINK Armenia) non-governmental organisation and supported by Counterpart International’s Armenia representation.
The project aimed at collecting data concerning cases of discrimination and rights violation toward LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people in Armenia and to find out to what extent legislation of Republic of Armenia reflects LGBT rights.
Guests from governmental institutions, international and non-governmental organisations and also from diplomatic missions of different countries in Armenia are invited to the meeting.
Talented Georgia born British singer Katie Melua will certainly be getting more gay following with this new video for her single The Flood. Watch it till the end ;)
All too familiar scapegoating gays for internal politics to distract citizens from real problems facing the country and from their [politicians & co] own bankruptcy .
Elections are meant to be the chance for the people to express their views without fear.
But elections can also be a time of heightened fear and threat: especially for those in a minority in a society in crisis, argues Paata Sabelashvili, president of the Inclusive Foundation – Georgia’s lesbian and gay rights campaign and the only open gay rights organisation in the Caucasus.
Homosexuality is legal in Georgia – but the rights of lesbians, gay men and transgendered people are under attack. Sabelashvili was personally targeted by the police recently, the Inclusive Foundation’s offices raided, staff and clients intimidated and insulted and the office damaged. Arrested on the scene, Sabelashvili says he was only released from prison after he agreed to a plea bargain which saw him admit to a marijuana possession charge.
He says that the drugs charge was a cover for an attack on the Inclusive Foundation that was designed to appease nationalist and conservative forces aligned with the Georgian Orthodox Church’s campaign against gay rights. With the government under pressure in the backwash of the Tea Tutberidze affair and a visible break down of relations with the Patriarch, it may well be that such actions help shore up the government’s support with more conservative voters.
But while the government seems to play both sides in this debate – President Saakashvili has recently been citing his government’s legalisation of homosexuality as a positive step forward, but only to audiences outside Georgia – others see “gay bashing” as a way of winning votes.
In parliament the Christian Democrats have called for homosexuality to be recriminalised (a move that would see Georgia expelled from the Council of Europe) and, as Sabelashvili recounts in the video here, have promoted a scare campaign about gay marriage. Others – such as Malkhaz Gulashvili, publisher of the Daily Georgian Times and founder of the People’s Orthodox Movement – are campaigning for the same outcome outside parliament.
At the root of much of this, argues Sabelashvili, is the population crisis in Georgia. Using arguments completely discredited in the west, anti-gay campaigners, either out of prejudice or ignorance, claim that homosexuality is like some infection that spreads through the population and so cuts the birth rate. For them it needs to be suppressed.
But, as Sabelashvili says here, the real factor that is cutting the birth rate is the poverty that drives so many young Georgians away from their homeland and leaves them vulnerable when abroad.
When I first realized I was queer, it wasn’t anything shocking for me as I was always the minority of some other minority.
My first cause ever was the Armenian genocide and I held on to it like someone holds on to their dear life. The idea that another group wanted to erase something very essential in my being and eradicate it was enough for me to want to resist.
It’s not easy to know that someone wants you to no longer exist.
So when I look around now and I think of the homophobia and the people who want to eradicate us because for them we are a disease, it’s not something new. When I think of all the gendercide and how a lot of our societies break women and burry their existence in petty beliefs, it’s not something new.
I am a queer Armenian Lebanese woman; a half-breed to add to that and this is the essence of my survival. For 95 years our people have been screaming for justice and we will keep on shouting and screaming even when the dearest feminists shout back but who cars about this now? How is it relevant to our cause?
I want to tell you how relevant it is. It is relevant because it is my cause and I am a feminist and it’s a human cause.
It is relevant because its Darfur and Gaza, it is relevant because when we got here we were thrown in camps and orphanages and built our lives from rubbles, it is relevant because women were raped and killed and children sold, it is relevant because justice has not been restored. And you know, when justice is not restored the whole order of your world crumbles. You ask me why I still want them to utter words or recognition? Because I want to be in peace, I want to believe in the good order of the universe, I want to know that the good prevails that there is hope. This is why I fight as a feminist, this is why I fight as a queer, it is why I choose these battles where small victories fuel me with hope
and I think of bigger ones.
Imagine you had 5 more years, only five years to prove that you’ve been raped and beaten, your land stolen. You had five years and you show humanity proof and ask for justice to be made and you know that once those five years go by, humanity’s corrupt system will erase your trauma from its history and move on. You are silenced and mute and your rapist still wandering out there. What would you do? We have 5 more years and then it’s the centenary and after that according to international laws our cause is a lost one. Wonderful example to give to states like Israel, practicing apartheid.
Love,
Shant
___________________
Dear Shant,
You already know, I relate to everything said in your e-mail.
I have always been a part of a minority, ever since I was born.
As I discovered more and more about myself, I became a minority of a minority and it has always been a struggle.
A struggle mainly for my rights. For my rights as an Armenian living in Lebanon, as a Woman, and as a Queer.
A struggle for belonging.. I was born in Lebanon but let’s face it, do I really belong here? It doesn’t really feel like it since I have always been pointed out as The Armenian among the Lebanese. It doesn’t really feel like it since el 3arabeh taba3 el arman mkassar, since we have a different culture and different traditions.
The next question would be. Do I belong in Armenia? Here… This breaks my heart. I don’t even belong in Armenia, because I am only a tourist there. A tourist that doesn’t even speak the same language as the Armenians there.
I have heard so much about Armenians since I was in school by my teachers, my parents, and my grandmothers. I have heard so many stories about my own family, about my own grandfather and my great grandfather and grandmother.
What do I do with all that? Get over it? Let it go?
It’s impossible…
It has become a part of me. A part of my core being.
It is in the blood.
What I find messed up is how countries like The United States or the European union use the Genocide as some joker card against Turkey. They don’t care about the recognition, they hold on to that card so that they can have political stances and gains. The U.S. gets to have army bases and fly into Iraq from over Turkey and the E.U. uses it to stop Turkey from getting in its sphere. And our history relies on their twisted politics.
We fight every day for our rights as queers. We want justice, we want acknowledgement.
We get frustrated and irritated. We go insane when we hear about all the queers and transgendered people that have been murdered.
All this blood spilled… Who could really get over it? Who could really accept it in the first place?
Hate, denial of our existence and their desire to annihilate us…
It’s something none of us should shut up about.
The Armenian cause is so close to all the other causes we believe in and fight for.
You don’t have to necessarily be an Armenian to feel this… You just have to be human.
And there is a big difference between human and “human”.
23 April marks St George's Day, also England's National Day. I have first seen the pink-coloured St George's Cross - the flag of England - few years ago at the London Gay Pride, and since it proved popular among LGBT community to mark national holidays or important events with a touch of pink. You may see it on this picture too, which I took today in the heart of Soho, in front of the popular gay pub Comptons.
Well done, Paata!! Should be an example for others in the region, Even if we may have reasonable doubts re possible outcomes, good to see the system got challenged by local activist.
Queerty, citing The Georgian Times (below), posted a brief reflection of the case entitled "The Georgian Journalist Accused of Not Challenging a Guest's Homophobia". Interestingly, this US based popular gay website comments: "Imagine if the United States had similar journalism ethics provisions; CNN would be buried in paperwork."
Paata Sabelashvili, President of the Inclusive Foundation, has filed a complaint at the Media Council stating that Kavkasia TV journalist Aleko Elisashvili has encouraged homophobic behaviour. This will be the second case the Media Council has considered, but the first related to gay rights in a conservative-minded country.
Paata Sabelashvili sounded alarm bells on Facebook following the Barrier programme broadcast by Kavkazia on March 9. The programme focused on the visits of Georgian opposition figures to Moscow and featured as guests the Republican Party’s Tina Khidasheli, member of former PM Zurab Noghaideli’s party Petre Mamradze, the National Forum’s Gubaz Sanikidze and Malkhaz Gulashvili, owner of The Georgian Times Media Holding and Head of the Georgia-Russia Public Commission.
Malkhaz Gulashvili apparently went beyond just talking about Georgia-Russia relations during the debates. He touched on Church and state relations, criticised the Government for what he called its ‘pseudo-liberal’ values and said that that there is an "unruly propaganda for profanity, for instance homosexuals and lesbians” in Georgia.
Aleko Elisashvili, the host of the programme, interrupted Gulashvili and asked him to let them (homosexuals) alone, which induced giggles in the studio guests, and the discussion shifted back to politics. The debate weaved back to the issues of homosexuality and same sex marriage later but the anchor did not comment this time, giving other guests the opportunity to express opinions. This is where his fault lay, according to Sabelashvili.
Paata Sabelashvili says that by his inaction the journalist violated Article 7 of the journalist’s charter which states: “The journalist should understand the threat of the media encouraging discrimination. Therefore, he/she should do everything possible to avoid discrimination towards any persons on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political and other viewpoints, national or social origin or any other grounds.”
In a post he released on Facebook the next day Paata Sabelashvili vented his anger, stating that he would seek to hold Aleko Elisashvili accountable to the Media Ethics Council. “He [Aleko Elisashvili] violated this Article [7] when he did not only prevent Gulashvili and others giggling about homosexual citizens but even joined them in doing so,” he said. The complaint has been submitted and the Media Ethics Council is now requesting a written explanation from Aleko Elisashvili.
In a phone interview with GT Aleko Elisashvili said he is prepared to take responsibility for his work but the complaint is ill-argumented. Elisashvili does not think that he has violated the article as he allowed the guests to counter Gulashvili during the debates. "Gulashvili expressed his opinion, irrespective of whether I agree with it or not, and he has the right to do it as a citizen," he told us.
Elisashvili said that he trusts the Media Ethics Council and is ready to face its decision whatever it will be. Paata Sabelashvili did not respond to our email queries.
Malkhaz Gulashvili has become the target of criticism from so-called libertarian groups since he founded the Public Orthodox Movement on March 25 this year. This organisation, which the founders say counts 5,000 members, aims to advocate for the rights of Orthodox Christians, promote Christian values in society and preserve an authentic Georgian consciousness. Among other commitments, members of the movement have pledged that they will try to counter the propaganda of profanity and homosexuality and now allow gay parades to be conducted, among other things.
151 journalists have signed Charter of Journalism Ethics, a kind of self-regulatory mechanism for journalists. The Imedi fake invasion video was the first case which the Media Council discussed. It concluded that programme anchor Natia Koberidze had violated Article 1 of the Charter.
The Media Council has the right to discuss whether to judge the case in the first place and then determine, if so, whether a Charter Member journalist has violated its principles. There are no sanctions it can take.
“This is quite a difficult case and members of the council are now consulting foreign colleagues, in the German Media Council and a similar organisation in Holland. It will be some time until they are ready to hold the session,” Ia Antadze, the founder of the Media Council, told GT.
*via Towleroad: "Manchester United captain Gary Neville planted a kiss on teammate Paul Scholes after Scholes scored the winning (and only) goal against Manchester City just 20 seconds before the end of the match-up."
***
And now this hilarious commentary and headlines via British press (via Queerty).
You could interpret in various ways the tender moment when Gary Neville wrapped his hands around the head of Paul Scholes and pursed his lips.
He was about to drive several coaches through the homophobic fortress of the Premier League. This was the take of the whimsical Kirsty Young, who told the Andrew Marr Show that it might have been a clip from Brokeback Mountain.
On the other hand Neville, who is of course not famous for striking the most agreeable notes, may have been emphasising a line of praise time-honoured among hard, macho but understating pros, the one that goes: "You'll do for me, son." [...]
There were times when you could read here and there that “there are no gays in Armenia”. Well, those times have passed, and could be remembered with smile on our face. Now there is another trend: “there are no gays in this or that Department/Ministry/field...”
Couple of months ago, it was Armenian Army representative who made such ridiculous claims, which were instantly laughed at by Russian language gay websites. Today it’s Armenia police chief’s turn.
Watch this video (AM) towards the end. Pay attention how Armenia police chief and media representatives laughing together when discussing this whole ‘gay/police day’ thingy. They [media, and then police chief] created this fake ‘coincidence’ story, and won’t let it go away despite it being an utter lie and ignorance. Why would they? It’s just a chance to have a good laugh with “the purest” police chief. Apparently, that’s their definition of ‘having fun’.
Armenia police chief Alik Sargsyan statements are ridiculous, outrageous, and bigoted.
He says that Armenian police is “the purest”; there are only “real men” working in police; there never was, and God forbid, never will be anyone with “disorders of [sexual] orientation” there.
«Ոստիկանությունը ամենամաքուրն է եւ ամենազերծը նման բաներից. ոստիկանությունում իսկական տղամարդիկ են աշխատում ամեն ինչով, եւ կողմնորոշման որեւէ խախտում, Աստված չանի, երբեք չի նկատվել եւ չի նկատվի»,-ասաց Ալիկ Սարգսյան: (A1+)
This is a very clear display of homophobia, and human rights violation by Armenia police chief.
In any civilised country, such statements by police chief would lead to media and public outcry and calls for resignation, or at the very least - apology. In Armenia, this leads to a united laugh of media representatives and Armenia police chief.
There is popular saying in Russian, good for this occasion: “Смеётся тот, кто смеётся последним”
And here is the latest from our “purest” police where only “real men” work.
P.S. (UPDATE 20 April 2010: apparently, I was too quick to refer to a "positive change" in this radio station - see comments section below) I have to say, that during this whole ‘gay/police day’ saga, Radio Van was one of the very few media representatives which avoided copy/pasting wrong info from other outlets. They made a blog post with appropriate picture, video, and a brief audio interview with the head of PINK Armenia Mamikon Hovsepyan explaining the real meaning of the day. Ironically, this is the radio station which ‘inspired’ me to launch Homophobia Hall of Shame. As I mentioned back then, “The purpose [of the Hall of Shame] is to show that hate is wrong. Hate is not cool. Hate should NOT be profitable. And there are always ways out. You just have to want to get out and make efforts to change yourself for better, to free yourself of hate.”
Lately, I see positive changes in the radio station’s policy, and if this trend continues, I will take them out of the Hall of Shame after 17 May (International Day Against Homophobia).
For now, I updated the Hall of Shame by including Armenia police chief Alik Sargsyan.
This is a video made back in 2007. Back then, few years ago, I wanted to post it on my blog, but it was almost instantly taken out from the all main video sharing websites, like YouTube etc. I have saved this as a draft so that one day, when it re-appears again, I'd post it. The day has come :) Couple of days ago, Ricky Martin tweeted a link to this video, which re-emerged after he came out. Many news outlets confused this as a new video, but it is not. It was made in 2007 for Ricky Martin's "Black and White Tour", directed by singer's friend Dago Gonzales.
I really liked this video. Hope you'll enjoy it too. I am posting this with the same title as I saved in draft in 2007.
“The real violence… the violence that I realised was unforgivable is the violence that we do to ourselves, when we are too afraid to be who we really are.” #Sense8
Մարտիրոս Սարյան: "Իմ կարծիքով, մեզ՝ որպես արևելյան ժողովրդի, չափազանց կպատշաճեր բազմագույն դրոշը, որն ի հայտ է բերում ինքը` չքնաղ և հավերժ գեղեցիկ ծիածանը:"(source)
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