Recap | September 2025

The Ministry of Health continues targeting human rights defender Mamikon Hovsepyan

In democratic countries, it is difficult to imagine a situation where a ministry, through its official platforms, publicly attacks and targets a human rights defender. Unfortunately, in Armenia this practice has become continuous, especially in cases when Hovsepyan voices criticism toward the ministry.

In its latest statement, the ministry not only mocked Hovsepyan but also questioned his very status as a human rights defender. Nevertheless, Mamikon Hovsepyan is a recognized human rights defender not only in Armenia but also internationally. His professional education, long-standing experience, prestigious awards, and speeches delivered on high-level international platforms are testimony to this.

Such statements and targeting create an atmosphere of fear, diminishing the trust of human rights defenders and communities toward state institutions.

We call on the Ministry of Health to cease its attacks and attempts to silence the human rights defender. At the same time, we urge the Government of Armenia to take the necessary steps to ensure that state officials refrain from abusing their powers and are held accountable for such actions. We remind that the Republic of Armenia, as a member of the Council of Europe and the UN, has international obligations to guarantee the protection of human rights defenders and freedom of expression.

New report: law enforcement practice on the prohibition of public calls for violence

For many years, Pink Human Rights Defender NGO has documented violations against LGBT+ persons motivated by hatred and intolerance. These findings have served as the basis for asserting that the Republic of Armenia needs to supplement its legislation with legal regulations such as a comprehensive anti-discrimination law and provisions prohibiting various forms of hate speech.

Every year, Pink documents cases of human rights violations on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. The majority of these cases are incidents of domestic violence which, being manifestations of various forms of violence, constitute crimes in themselves. Most of the remaining cases are also acts prohibited by the Criminal Code, committed with motives of hatred and hostility, which further aggravates the nature of the crime.

This situation, together with the increasing number of recorded cases, attests to the existence of parallel atmospheres of hatred and impunity in the country. In other words, on the one hand, state bodies make no effort to raise public awareness or tolerance toward LGBTQ+ persons, while on the other hand, no effective legal protection mechanisms are ensured to restore violated rights and prevent further infringements.

Download the report in Armenian.

Summary of documented cases in the first half of 2025

Pink Human Rights Defender NGO continued to provide legal, social worker’s support, and psychological services to LGBT+ people throughout 2025. The documented data resulting from this work undergoes analysis and serves as the basis for the annual report, which reflects the overall picture of human rights violations against LGBT+ people. This summary presents statistics and analysis of documented cases of violations of the rights of LGBT+ people in the first half of 2025. 

This summary covers the situation of LGBT+ people during the first six months of 2025, based on the analysis of human rights violations documented by the organization’s specialists.

Informational material for LGBT+ refugees, asylum seekers

Each year the number of refugees is increasing both worldwide and in Armenia. This increase is related to a number of socio-economic, political and various other issues. LGBT+ refugees are much more vulnerable, as there is a risk of facing multilayered discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, race, skin color, and so on.

This material aims to support and guide LGBT+ refugees in Armenia. Here you can find primary information on how to find out the various forms of support which is available in Armenia, where to apply, considering the situation you are in, what rights and legal regulations exist in the country, and which institutions and organizations you can turn to, if you face violence or discrimination.

The guide is available in five languages: Armenian, Persian, Arabic, Russian, and English.

The 2nd Armenian Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

The 2nd Armenian Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality will bring together mental health professionals, researchers, and social policy experts to explore the ways gender and identity intersect with psychological health, access to care, and social justice. The conference will spotlight emerging trends, identify systemic gaps in support structures, and strengthen collaborative networks to develop inclusive and innovative responses.

See the conference details here.