Recap | June 2025
Every June, we shine brighter because Pride Month is a powerful reminder that our existence is resistance. We raise our voices for those who cannot. We carry the stories of those who were silenced.
In a world that still questions our right to love, we love louder. And in a world that paints rainbows on windows, we remind it that our pride is not decoration – it is a declaration.
Resilience of the Movement: 10th Rainbow Forum
The 10th anniversary Rainbow Forum took place in Yerevan from June 19 to 21, 2025. The Forum is a crucial activist platform for the LGBT+ community, which over the years has shaped memory, solidarity, and a space for new opportunities. This year’s theme, “Resilience of the Movement,” was closely tied to the challenges faced, as well as to processes of stabilization and rethinking.
The Forum opened in an atmosphere not only of celebration but also of reflection on the journey so far. The 10th Rainbow Forum not only restored the memory of the movement but also offered an opportunity to look forward. It reminded us that safe spaces are not to be expected – they are to be created, and that the continuity of the movement is ensured where there is trust, responsibility, and a shared aspiration to build a more just and equal world.
Information campaign
In June, Pink published posters and videos aiming to highlight common signs of harmony and disharmony in our intimate relationships. The posters show both harmonious representations in our relationships, as well as “toxic” or violent ones.
It is important to remember that if you are subjected to violence, it is never your fault, it is the abuser’s fault, and support is available in Armenia.
The investigation of the attack in Shurnukh will continue
In connection with the 2018 incident of violence against a group of young people in the village of Shurnukh, the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Syunik Region has annulled the investigative body’s decision to terminate the criminal proceedings. At the same time, the court has obliged the investigative authority to ensure a proper, comprehensive, prompt, and non-delayed preliminary investigation.
The court disagreed with the prosecutor’s claim that the incident was not related to the victims’ gender identity and that, therefore, this case could not be considered a violation of the principle of equality.
The court also disagreed with the legal qualification of the act, which had disregarded the victims’ constitutional rights, particularly the violation stemming from inequality. It further noted that the investigation had failed to properly assess the victims’ sexual orientation, their gender identity, and the circumstances preceding and accompanying the incident, including discriminatory expressions directed at them, which indicate that the act may have been committed with a motive of hatred.
