Anfragebeantwortung zu Armenien: Lage von Homosexuellen, insbesondere Frauen [a-10255]

18. Juli 2017

Das vorliegende Dokument beruht auf einer zeitlich begrenzten Recherche in öffentlich zugänglichen Dokumenten, die ACCORD derzeit zur Verfügung stehen sowie gegebenenfalls auf Expertenauskünften, und wurde in Übereinstimmung mit den Standards von ACCORD und den Common EU Guidelines for processing Country of Origin Information (COI) erstellt.

Diese Antwort stellt keine Meinung zum Inhalt eines Ansuchens um Asyl oder anderen internationalen Schutz dar. Alle Übersetzungen stellen Arbeitsübersetzungen dar, für die keine Gewähr übernommen werden kann.

Wir empfehlen, die verwendeten Materialien im Original durchzusehen. Originaldokumente, die nicht kostenfrei oder online abrufbar sind, können bei ACCORD eingesehen oder angefordert werden.

 

PINK Armenia, eine NGO, die sich für die Rechte von LGBTI-Personen einsetzt, schreibt in ihrer Studie zu sozialen Einstellungen gegenüber LGBTI-Personen in Armenien vom Juni 2016, dass der öffentliche Diskurs zu LGBTI-Themen ein relativ neues Phänomen sei. Vor 2003 seien homosexuelle Beziehungen zwischen Männern kriminalisiert gewesen, was zu einem Fehlen öffentlicher Diskussionen zum Thema beigetragen habe. Wegen des strategischen Ziels Armeniens dem Europarat beizutreten seien homosexuelle Beziehungen zwischen Männern entkriminalisiert worden, diese rechtlichen Reformen hätten aber keine signifikanten Auswirkungen auf öffentliche Einstellungen zu LGBTI-Personen gehabt. Diese würden so wie in der Vergangenheit im Verborgenen leben oder ein Doppelleben führen, um öffentliche Schande oder Stigmatisierung zu vermeiden:

„Public discourse on LGBTI topics is a relatively new phenomenon in Armenia. Before 2003, homosexual relations between males were criminalised, fostering the absence of public discussion on such topics. In 2001, one of Armenia’s strategic political priorities was to join the Council of Europe, which entailed a number of commitments, including taking measures for the protection of human rights, as well as the revision of Armenia’s legal framework to bring it in compliance with human rights priorities and standards. The decriminalisation of male homosexual relations was among the list of urgent measures to be taken. Legal reforms, however, (decriminalisation of sexual intercourse between males [2003], constitutional reforms [2005]) have not had a significant impact on public attitudes toward LGBTI persons in Armenia. As in the past, LGBTI persons continue to live in disguise in Armenia, or lead double lives, in attempts to avoid public shaming and stigma.” (PINK Armenia, 17. Juni 2016, S. 25)

Das US-Außenministerium (US Department of State, USDOS) schreibt in seinem Menschenrechtsbericht vom März 2017 (Berichtszeitraum 2016), dass Antidiskriminierungsgesetze nicht auf sexuelle Orientierung und Geschlechtsidentität angewendet würden. Es gebe keine Gesetze gegen Hassverbrechen oder andere Mechanismen der Strafjustiz, um Verbrechen gegen Mitglieder der LGBTI-Gemeinschaft zu verfolgen. Gesellschaftliche Einstellungen gegenüber LGBTI-Personen seien weiterhin sehr negativ, die Gesellschaft würde generell Homosexualität als Krankheit betrachten. Gesellschaftliche Diskriminierung aufgrund von sexueller Orientierung und Geschlechtsidentität beeinflusse alle Aspekte des Lebens negativ, darunter Erwerbstätigkeit, Wohnen, Familienbeziehungen und Zugang zu Bildung und Gesundheitsversorgung. Im Jahresbericht von PINK Armenia für 2015 werde von Hassrede gegen LGBTI-Personen durch führende Vertreter von politischen Parteien und Medien berichtet. Die homosexuellenfeindliche Rhetorik habe sich während öffentlicher Diskussionen vor dem Referendum zu Verfassungsänderungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Verbot gleichgeschlechtlicher Ehen im Dezember 2015 intensiviert. LGBTI-Personen seien mit physischer Gewalt und Drohungen, Erpressungen und Schikanen konfrontiert. Die Polizei reagiere nicht auf Anzeigen und misshandle manchmal selbst LGBTI-Personen. Es habe 2015 keine einzige Strafverfolgung wegen angezeigter Hassverbrechen gegeben. Es gebe auch die Angst, bei einer Anzeige exponiert und weiter diskriminiert zu werden. Bei einer Parlamentsdebatte im November 2015 hätten drei Abgeordnete der Regierungspartei RPA (Republican Party of Armenia) Anti-LGBTI-Rhetorik verwendet, wobei ein Abgeordneter einen Witz gemacht habe, der zu physischer Gewalt gegen LGBTI-Personen ermutige. Manche Medien hätten Propaganda gegen LGBTI verbreitet und LGBTI- und Menschenrechtsaktivisten hätten Drohungen über soziale Medien erhalten und seien Ziele von Hassrede geworden:

„Antidiscrimination laws do not apply to sexual orientation or gender identity. There were no hate crime laws or other criminal judicial mechanisms to aid in the prosecution of crimes against members of the LGBTI community. Societal attitudes toward LGBTI persons remained highly negative, with society generally viewing homosexuality as a medical affliction. Societal discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity negatively affected all aspects of life, including employment, housing, family relations, and access to education and health care. Transgender persons were especially vulnerable to physical and psychological abuse and harassment.

[…] In May the NGO Public Information and Need of Knowledge (PINK Armenia) published its annual review of the human rights situation of LGBTI persons for 2015. According to the review, leading political party representatives and media affiliated with authorities employed ’hate speech’” toward members of the LGBTI community. Antigay rhetoric intensified during public discussions prior to the December 2015 referendum on constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriages. According to the review, LGBTI persons experienced physical violence and threats of violence, blackmail, and harassment. Police were unresponsive to reports of such abuses and at times themselves mistreated LGBTI individuals, following and harassing them. According to the review, authorities did not prosecute a single hate crime complaint filed with police in 2015. LGBTI persons were also reluctant to report violations to relevant bodies due to fears of exposure and additional discriminatory treatment because of their complaint.

According to media reports, during a November 6 parliamentary discussion, three members of parliament (MP) from the ruling RPA [Republican Party of Armenia], including the deputy speaker of the parliament, engaged in anti-LGBTI rhetoric, with one MP making a joke encouraging physical violence against LGBTI individuals.

[…] Elements of media disseminated anti-LGBTI propaganda. LGBTI activists as well as human rights defenders working in the field received threats via social media and to be targets of hate speech.” (USDOS, 3. März 2017, Section 6)

Die international tätige Menschenrechtsorganisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) schreibt in ihrem Jahresbericht vom Jänner 2017 (Berichtsjahr 2016), dass AktivistInnen berichtet hätten, dass lesbische, schwule, bisexuelle, Transgender- und Intersex-Personen mit Diskriminierung, Schikanierung und Gewalt konfrontiert seien. Die Regierung habe Hassrede gegen oder Diskriminierung von LGBTI-Personen nicht thematisiert. Sexuelle Orientierung und Geschlechtsidentität würden nicht als schutzwürdige Merkmale im Rahmen von Antidiskriminierungsgesetzen gelten. Damit sei der Rechtsweg für viele Straftaten gegen LGBTI-Personen begrenzt. Einige TeilnehmerInnen seien nach dem von LGBTI-freundlichen Gruppen organisierten Rainbow-Forum im Oktober 2015 von Unbekannten vor allem in sozialen Medien eingeschüchtert und bedroht worden. Behörden hätten wegen Mangel an Beweisen keine Ermittlungen durchgeführt. Laut einer im Juni 2016 veröffentlichten Studie von PINK Armenia seien neunzig Prozent der Bevölkerung feindselig gegenüber LGBTI-Personen eingestellt und würden eine Beschränkung ihrer Rechte befürworten. Im Juli 2016 habe PINK Armenia 46 Fälle von Gewalt gegen und Diskriminierung von LGBTI-Personen im Jahr 2015 dokumentiert. Die Regierung habe keine sinnvollen Schritte zur Bekämpfung von Stereotypen und Diskriminierung von LGBTI-Personen unternommen:

„Activists reported that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LBGTI) people face discrimination, harassment, and violence. The government has not addressed hate speech or discrimination against LGBTI people. Gender identity and sexual orientation are not included as protected grounds in anti-discrimination or hate speech laws, limiting legal recourse for many crimes against LGBTI people.

Following the October 2015 Rainbow forum, organized by Armenian LGBTI-friendly groups to discuss protection and promotion of minority rights, anonymous people targeted some participants with intimidation and threats, mostly on social media, including to burn and kill them. Authorities refused to launch a criminal investigation into the threats, citing lack of evidence.

In June, the LGBTI rights group, PINK Armenia, published a survey revealing that 90 percent of the population is hostile to LGBTI people and support limits on their rights. In July, PINK Armenia released a report documenting 46 cases of violence and discrimination against LGBTI people in 2015. The government has not taken meaningful steps to combat stereotypes and discrimination against LGBTI people.” (HRW, 12. Jänner 2017)

Die International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), ein weltweites Netzwerk von lokalen und nationalen LGBTI-Organisationen, erwähnt in ihrem Jahresbericht vom Mai 2017 zur Menschenrechtslage von LGBTI-Personen in Europa (Berichtszeitraum 2016), dass die Mitglieder der LGBTI-Community weiterhin sehr geringe gesetzliche oder politische Voraussetzungen vorfinden würden, auf die sie sich verlassen könnten. NGOs würden Unterstützung anbieten und Studien durchführen, die die täglichen Schwierigkeiten von LGBTI-Personen aufzeigen. Daten zur öffentlichen Meinung würden zeigen, dass 97 Prozent der befragten Personen es unakzeptabel finden, dass sich gleichgeschlechtliche Paare in der Öffentlichkeit küssen:

„The legal structure relating to the fundamental rights of LGBTI people did not undergo much change in 2016, leaving members of LGBTI community with very minimal law or policy to rely on. Support instead continues to be provided by civil society groups. NGOs assisted LGBTI people in a variety of ways, from recording and reporting episodes of discrimination, helping people to issue complaints, and providing backing in subsequent cases. Research, also compiled by LGBTI NGOs, emphasised the daily difficulties that LGBTI people encounter. Discrimination can be compounded by a traditional outlook on life and the situation is not helped when bias-motivated speech (still not prohibited) against LGBTI people continues. This prompted the Council of Europe’s monitoring body ECRI [European Commission against Racism and Intolerance] to recommend that parliamentary and media ethics codes be amended to protect LGBTI people. Public opinion data, once again gathered by NGOs, showed that over 97% of the people surveyed said it was unacceptable for same-sex couples to kiss in public – underlining that a more informed, less hostile conversation about the lives of LGBTI people is certainly required.” (ILGA-Europe, 17. Mai 2017, S. 40)

Der Bericht von ILGA erwähnt, dass fünf LGBTI-AktivistInnen am 15. Februar 2016 in Jerewan verbal und physisch angegriffen worden seien. Die Polizei habe die Anzeige zu dem Fall wegen mangelnder Beweise zurückgelegt:

„Five LGBT activists, including two staff members of LGBT NGO PINK Armenia, were attacked in Yerevan on 15 February. A group of three unidentified people verbally and physically attacked one of the activists and then also assaulted the other activists who came to their aid. An incident report was filed with the police but the case was subsequently suspended due to a lack of evidence.” (ILGA-Europe, 17. Mai 2017, S. 42)

Weiters erwähnt ILGA den Fall eines homosexuellen Tänzers, der wegen seiner sexuellen Orientierung von einer Tanzgruppe ausgeschlossen worden sei. Der Bericht des Ombudsmanns für 2015 habe auf Diskriminierung in den Bereichen Gesundheit, Bildung und Beschäftigung hingewiesen. Ein Bericht der European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) habe sich besorgt über das Ausmaß von Hassrede und Gewalt gegenüber der LGBTI-Gemeinschaft gezeigt:

„In May, an American-Armenian man was told to leave a dance group (the Bekor Folk Dance Ensemble) by the instructor when he realised the participant was gay. NGO PINK Armenia brought the incident to the attention of the diaspora and culture ministries and called on them to prevent such incidents of discrimination at cultural events. There was no response from the ministries at the end of 2016. In the Ombudsman’s Annual Report for 2015, released in April, discrimination faced by LGBT people in the areas of healthcare, education and employment was highlighted. The report noted several cases where people had been refused medical care due to their sexual orientation. It referred to violent attacks on trans people who were then refused help by security guards, and the vulnerability of LGBT people in prisons was also mentioned by the Ombudsman. As part of its five-year monitoring cycle, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published a report on Armenia on 4 October. ECRI was concerned at the level of hate speech and violence directed at the LGBT community during the last reporting cycle. The report notes that this is troubling when combined with the low levels of reporting of such crimes and the fact that intolerant speech is not condemned, or also perpetrated, by political figures. ECRI’s recommendations included adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected grounds in hate crime law, drafting an anti-discrimination law that applies to all areas of life, and reviewing legislation to see if it complies with ECHR Article 8 in relation to changing civil status and legal gender. It also recommends a code of media ethics and punishments added to the parliament’s code of conduct, both measures designed to protect LGBT people from hate speech.” (ILGA-Europe, 17. Mai 2017, S. 43)

Ein 2016 veröffentlichter Bericht an den UN-Ausschuss gegen die Diskriminierung von Frauen des Civil Society Institute und des Anti-discrimination Centre Memorial geht ebenfalls ausführlich auf die Lage der LGBTI-Gemeinschaft in Armenien ein und nennt konkrete Beispiele für Probleme:

„The problem of protecting the rights of members of the LGBTI community, including lesbians, bisexuals, transgender women, and intersexuals, has not been resolved in Armenia. Legal remedies are insufficient, and the government generally ignores the problem of infringements of the rights of sexual minorities. Most LGBTI people face problems with self-expression and are forced to hide their identities from their families and society, where homophobic and sexist prejudices prevail. All of this puts sexual minorities in an extremely vulnerable position.

Armenian law does not envisage punishment for hate speech against LGBTI people, which is starting to sound more and more both in the speeches of government officials and politicians, in pro-government media outlets, and from regular citizens. Public figures have made statements concerning the ‘propaganda’ of homosexual relationships (presidential candidate Arman Melikyan, member of the Pre-parliament political movement Garegin Chugaszyan) and justifying homophobic aggression (for example, in May 2012 vice-president of the Armenian National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov representing the ruling Republican Party, stated publicly that people who support LGBTI rights in Armenia ‘are corrupting society,’ and he called an attack on an LGBTI bar an ‘absolutely correct and justified action’).

The mayor of Vanadzor Samvel Darbinyan publicly condemned LGBTI activists for organizing the first Rainbow Forum, which was held in Armenia in October 2015. Forum organizers requested confirmation from the mayor’s office regarding the publication of homophobic information in a newspaper. In response they received confirmation of the mayor’s words. Representatives of this NGO filed a complaint regarding the mayor’s behavior with the Ethics Commission for Senior Officials, which responded that actions like hate speech are outside the realm of its competence (because the Ethics Code does not contain a ban on hate speech) and recommended filing a complaint with a court.

Taking a cue from government officials, radically inclined residents of Armenia also display homophobic behavior and subject LGBTI activists to abuse, threats (including in the media, which publishes lists of people belonging to sexual minorities), and attacks. Attempts made by LGBTI people to protect their rights by turning to police or a court for help generally have no result.

For a long time, the participants and organizers of the first Rainbow Forum faced abuse, bullying, and threats, mainly on social networks. On November 4, 2015, two participants in the first Rainbow Forum and representatives of PINK Armenia filed complaints with the police about attackers known to them. On November 17, the Investigative Department for the Yerevan district of Kentron and Nork-Marash of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia issued a ruling declining to open a criminal case due to lack of corpus delicti. These bodies of investigation did not believe that the threats on Facebook represented a real danger, but were instead merely expressions of a subjective opinion and did not involve a threat to life or health. The ruling notes that ‘some people were simply expressing their concerns about the spread of addiction to homosexuality and immorality.’

An interesting legal precedent was set in May 2016, when, for the first time, a civil court granted a claim in part and found an article with homophobic content libelous.

The ground for this claim was an article published by the newspaper Iravnuk (Law) accusing members of the LGBT movement of promoting the interests of ’the international gay lobby.’ This article included the names of 60 people who, in the newspaper’s opinion, were ‘enemies of the people and the state’ and called for them not to be hired, admitted to school, or allowed to express themselves. After persons named on the ‘blacklist,’ who are also employees of the New Generation NGO, Arman Saakyan, Ovanes Mkrtchyan, and Grigor Gevorgyan filed their lawsuit, the newspaper lashed out with a series of articles with even more discriminatory content. At the conclusion of the court proceedings, the court found the author of the article liable for distributing libel, but it did not find proven evidence of any kind of discrimination.

At the same time, as noted above, the government system not only ignores discrimination against LBGTI people, it also indirectly encourages it. For example, after the court granted the lawsuit on libel and discrimination in part, President S. Sargsyan presented the owner of Iravnuk, who also happens to be a parliament member, with a state award.

Attempts by the human rights and academic communities to introduce the topic of gender equality into legal and even academic discourse has met with stiff opposition and an aggressive reaction on the part of people holding extreme right views. During discussions about the gender equality law, the very term ‘gender’ caused serious debate, with the main criticism related to concerns about the blurring of the line between men and women. As a result of this debate, the law was adopted in 2013 under the name ‘On equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women.’

A list of grounds of discrimination given in Article 29 of the Constitution of Armenia (with amendments from 2015) does not contain either gender identity or sexual orientation. In accordance with Article 63 of the Criminal Code of Armenia, hatred for people based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not deemed an aggravating circumstance. As a result, hate crimes against LGBTI people (45 instances, according to unofficial figures for 2015) are not properly classified by investigators. Government officials and police officers declined to participate in awareness training on preventing hate crimes and hate speech that was organized by LGBTI organizations.

On May 8, 2012, Nazi skinheads threw incendiary mixtures at the LGBTI-friendly club DIY in Yerevan. This club was owned by the activist Tsomak, who is known for her speeches supporting gender equality in Armenia and for her participation in protest actions. The people who attacked the club stated that they had committed arson because of her orientation and her participation in a gay pride parade in Turkey. Tsomak had received threats since early 2012: ‘they approached me and talked for 10–15 minutes: ‘We despise you, you’re a lesbian.’ Police officers with homophobic leanings did not take measures to prevent the attack on the club: ‘The police said, ‘What do you want? These guys did the right thing.’ After the arson, several people attacked Tsomak and the human rights defender Lala Aslikyan. They ‘advised not to try to re-open the bar and threatened to burn it down again…they started to spit at us and make threats.’ Tsomak received so many threats that she had to seek asylum abroad because it would have been too dangerous for her to remain in Armenia. As Tsomak recounted, ‘They made me out to be such an outcast that I couldn’t continue living there. I couldn’t walk anywhere because everyone recognized me. It was very unpleasant. People were pointing their fingers at me, discussing me (‘Look at that one. She was only born because her mother was raped.’).’ This activist’s family also suffered from these events. Her sister was told not to come into work anymore ‘to avoid problems.’ She was also forced to leave the country. In commenting on the attack, parliament member, currently the Minister of the Natural Resources, representative of Dashnaktsutyun party, Artsvik Minasyan called on constituents to combat the ‘spread of homosexuality’ and the ‘threat to national security.’ Later he himself posted one million Armenian drams as a bail to release the pogromists who were convicted to suspended sentences and probation.” (Civil Society Institute/Anti-discrimination Centre Memorial, 2016, S. 6-8)

Der vom US-Kongress finanzierte Rundfunkveranstalter Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) berichtet im Juli 2017 in einem Artikel zu Einstellungen gegenüber LGBT-Personen von einem Filmfestival, das zwei Filme zum Thema Homosexualität aus dem Programm genommen habe. Trotz Legalisierung im Jahr 2003 sei das Thema noch immer ein Tabu in der armenischen Gesellschaft, die von der Apostolischen Kirche geprägt sei. Es gebe keine rechtliche Anerkennung gleichgeschlechtlicher Beziehungen, keine Antidiskriminierungsgesetze und Schwule würden als psychische krank und untauglich für den Militärdienst deklariert:

„Armenia's Golden Apricot international film festival has run into controversy as rights activists accuse organizers of censorship for scrapping part of the event that featured two films dealing with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) themes. […]

Though homosexuality has been legal in Armenia since 2003, the subject is still taboo within Armenian society, which is firmly guided by the Apostolic Church. The country does not recognize formalized same-sex relationships performed locally, has no antidiscrimination laws, and gay men are declared mentally ill and unfit for military service.

In the documentary Listen To Me, written by Hovhannes Ishkhanyan and directed by Gagik Ghazerah, 10 members of the LGBT community relate their experiences of coming out to their friends, families, and community. Included in the group is Tsomak Oganezova, the owner of a gay pub in Yerevan that was firebombed and vandalized with Nazi symbols in 2012. Oganezova has said she left Armenia after the attacks ‘to be with those like me.’

Pouria Heidary Oureh's Apricot Groves is about Aram, an Iranian-Armenian trans man who has lived in the United States since childhood. The story follows him as he returns to Armenia to meet his girlfriend's conservative family and make preparations for their marriage. Both films have already been featured at festivals around the world.

’Understanding the fact that this is not only discrimination against the Armenian LGBT community, and a violation of freedom of expression and freedom to create, but also a slap to Armenian cinematography, we are calling upon the Ministry of Culture of Armenia, the staff, and sponsors, and partners of the...festival to put all their efforts to restore the whole...program,’ supporters wrote in a petition to Culture Minister Armen Amiryan, the Cinematographers Union, and festival organizers.

'Officially Sanctioned Hate'

Given the hostile conditions they face, many LGBT people say they remain closeted to avoid discrimination and violence. In 2015, a local tabloid outed dozens of LGBT advocates, calling on readers to shun them and providing links to their Facebook profiles. The victims filed suit against the publication, but the court ruled in favor of the paper and made the plaintiffs pay $100 in fees. That incident came after a 2012 study was published showing 55 percent of Armenians would reject a friend or relative if they came out. ‘Hate speech in Armenia is rising day by day,’ activist Mamikon Hovsepyan said after being one of the journalists outed by the tabloid. ‘The homophobic media has the support of government officials and promotes aggression and hate toward LGBT people.’” (RFE/RL, 11. Juli 2017)

Die im Jahr 2017 veröffentlichte Ausgabe des Spartacus Gay Guide, einem Reiseführer für homosexuelle Männer, schreibt in Bezug auf Treffpunkte für Homosexuelle:

„Obwohl einige der in diesem Reiseführer aufgeführten Veranstaltungsorte von Schwulen und Lesben besucht werden, sind sie nicht mit westlichen Schwulenbars und –discos vergleichbar.“ (Spartacus, 2017, S. 8-9)

Das Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), ein in London ansässiges internationales Netzwerk zur Förderung freier Medien, schreibt im Oktober 2016, dass das Leben für LGBTI-Personen in der konservativen armenischen Gesellschaft mit ihrer verwurzelten Homophobie nicht leicht sei. Es sei schwierig, Orte zu finden, wo sich homosexuelle Menschen ohne Angst vor Übergriffen treffen könnten. 2012 sei ein Schwulenclub in Jerewan einem Brandanschlag zum Opfer gefallen, seitdem habe es niemand gewagt, eine öffentliche Unterhaltungsstätte für LGBTI-Personen zu eröffnen. Es gebe lediglich einen privaten Club, der nur für Mitglieder offen sei, und privat organisierte Partys:

„Life for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people in Armenia, a socially conservative society where homophobia remains entrenched, is not easy. The difficulties are multiplied for those living outside the capital, where society is even less tolerant towards LGBT people. Socialising is particularly difficult, with no LGBT-friendly venues and few public places where gay people can be sure they will not be subject to abuse.

Arthur (not his real name), 25, said that there were no public entertainment spaces in Gyumri or Vanadzor, the country´s second and third largest cities respectively, where LGBT people could feel safe. ‘It is impossible for me to go to a coffee shop and not hear hurtful comments or catch hostile glances. Once I got into a verbal exchange with one of the customers because of an off-the-cuff remark by him, but the manager came and demanded that I leave, saying that the dispute began because of me,’ said Arthur, who lives in Gyumri.

Instead, Arthur and his friends go to Yerevan on weekends, over 120 km away, where they can feel more at ease. ‘Yerevan also does not have a particularly friendly attitude towards gays, but this is the only place in Armenia where you can feel relatively free,’ he said.

Sergei Gabrielyan, head of the New Generation NGO, believes that such intolerant attitudes towards LGBT people in more remote places of the country has caused internal migration. ‘An LGBT person who lives in the province tries at all cost to enter any educational institution in Yerevan to move to the capital. Outside the capital, it is extremely difficult to live a gay lifestyle,’ Gabrielyan said, whose organisation works to protect the rights of LGBT people across Armenia. ‘Living in the provinces, an LGBT person is forced to hide his own nature, because he will not be accepted as an equal,’ Gabrielyan said.

[…] Life in the capital is by no means easy. Among the hundreds of restaurants, pubs and coffee shops in Yerevan, not a single public entertainment venue caters to the members of the LGBT community. In 2012, the DIY Club in Yerevan - known as a gay hangout – was firebombed and its owner harassed. […] Since then, no one has dared to open a public entertainment venue for LGBT people in Armenia. There is a private social club for gay men and transgender women in Yerevan, which is open daily to members and their friends.

Nelly (not her real name) the club’s 32-year-old director, is originally from Vanadzor. When she moved to the capital to join her brother, she found out that he was gay. ‘I accepted him from the very beginning. Through my brother, I met this community,’ she explained. She opened the club last year following her brother’s death ‘so that people like him can feel comfortable here,’ she continued.

Nelly launched by handed out 100 membership cards to people who are still the core visitors to the club. ’I try not to let many people in, so that my [customers] feel comfortable here. I know everyone personally. I try to make sure there are no problems, and they listen to me,’ she said. Nelly said she believes that many in the city are aware of her club, but does not expect any attacks.’We do not interfere. These people need entertainment. I told them – do not leave the club, do not attract attention so as to not disturb others.’

Among those in the know, the club is much valued resource. ’This is the only place where I can be who I want to be,’ said Milena, a regular visitor. ’None of the local visitors… will cast me sidelong glances. No one will make unpleasant remarks about me.’ Ashot, a security guard at the club, who did not want to use his real name, told IWPR he did his best to protect visitors from unpleasant experiences.

“When strangers try to enter the club, I try to explain in my own way that there is no admittance. Sometimes I just say that this is a gay club, and people will go away. It happens that they are persistent in wanting to enter, but I certainly will not allow it,” he said. In the absence of LGBT clubs, some members of the community try to organise their own parties.

Sarkis, 26, explained how he and a friend had begun putting together nights out. They first had to reach an agreement with the management of a club, ensure the premises would be protected and put together a guest list. ’The first party was attended by about 160 people,’ he said. ’We were able to organise great fun for them, but we were very tense.’

Earlier that day he had received phone calls threatening to blow up the club if the party went ahead. Later, a group of unknown people tried to break down the door and get inside. ’After that, we thought for a long time that it was no longer worth organising LGBT parties,’ Sarkis said. However, demands remained so high that Sarkis and his friend organised another two club nights, the last one attended by around 250 people.

’This was an unprecedented figure for Armenia. It proved that the community needs such events,’ Sarkis said.

[…] The following year Armenia joined the Council of Europe and homosexuality was decriminalised. Despite deep-rooted discrimination, social attitudes towards LGBT people have indeed softened since then. ’Today, there are homosexuals who publically acknowledge their sexual orientation,’ Ishkhanyan said. ’In the 2000s, there were many cases of homosexuals who were murdered. Today, the level of physical violence has decreased, relatively. We see people who look different from others in their appearance. It was not like that before. When I see these changes, I begin to believe that there will be new changes.'” (IWPR, 24. Oktober 2016)

Bitte beachten Sie auch die folgenden Berichte von PINK Armenia:

·      PINK Armenia: Hate Crimes and Other Hate Motivated Incidents against LGBT People in Armenia From Theory to Reality, Oktober 2016
http://www.pinkarmenia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hate-crime-monitoring-2016_en.pdf

·      PINK Armenia: From Prejudice to Equality: Study of societal attitudes towards LGBTI people in Armenia, 17. Juni 2016
https://ge.boell.org/sites/default/files/pink_study_on_homophobic_attitudes_eng.pdf

Der Jahresbericht zur Lage von LGBT-Personen im Jahr 2016 von PINK Armenia wurde in armenischer Sprache veröffentlicht, eine englische Version wurde für 15. Juli 2017 angekündigt, ist aber derzeit nicht auf der Website abrufbar:

·      PINK Armenia: Annual Review: Human Rights Situation of LGBT People in 2016, 2017
http://www.pinkarmenia.org/en/2017/06/annualreview2016/

 

image001.gif 

 

Quellen: (Zugriff auf alle Quellen am 18. Juli 2017)

·      Civil Society Institute/Anti-discrimination Centre Memorial: Discrimination against Women from Vulnerable Groups in Armenia. Alternative report. Prepared for the 65th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 2016
https://adcmemorial.org/wp-content/uploads/ARM_engwww.pdf

·      HRW - Human Rights Watch: World Report 2017, Armenia, Events of 2016, 12. Jänner 2017
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/armenia

·      ILGA-Europe: Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in Europe 2017, 17. Mai 2017 (veröffentlicht von ILGA, verfügbar auf ecoi.net)
http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/90_1495176673_annual-review-2017-online.pdf

·      IWPR - Institute for War and Peace Reporting: It's Hard To Be Gay in Armenia - Widespread prejudice in Armenia leaves few LGBT-friendly public spaces, 24. Oktober 2016 (verfügbar auf ecoi.net) 
http://www.ecoi.net/local_link/331805/459706_en.html

·      PINK Armenia: From Prejudice to Equality: Study of societal attitudes towards LGBTI people in Armenia, 17. Juni 2016
https://ge.boell.org/sites/default/files/pink_study_on_homophobic_attitudes_eng.pdf

·      PINK Armenia: Hate Crimes and Other Hate Motivated Incidents against LGBT People in Armenia From Theory to Reality, Oktober 2016
http://www.pinkarmenia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hate-crime-monitoring-2016_en.pdf

·      PINK Armenia: Annual Review: Human Rights Situation of LGBT People in 2016, 2017
http://www.pinkarmenia.org/en/2017/06/annualreview2016/

·      RFE/RL – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Armenian Film Festival Sparks LGBT Outrage, Cries Of Censorship, 11. Juli 2017
https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-film-festival-lgbt-outrage-cries-censorship/28610449.html

·      Spartacus International Gay Guide 2017 (herausgegeben von Bruno Gmünder), 46th edition, 2017

·      USDOS - US Department of State: Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2016 - Armenia, 3. März 2017 (verfügbar auf ecoi.net)
http://www.ecoi.net/local_link/337119/466879_en.html