Recap | January 2026

Pink NGO has been included in the public councils of four ministries

Representatives of Pink NGO are now included in the public councils of the following ministries:

• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
• Ministry of Health

These are the key sectors in which Pink NGO conducts its activities. We hope that the ministries will prioritize the role of public councils and transform them into effective platforms for discussing issues rooted in human rights.

The court has accepted for consideration the lawsuit filed by Mamikon Hovsepyan against the Ministry of Health

On November 7, 2025, the Civil Court of General Jurisdiction of the First Instance of Yerevan, Republic of Armenia, accepted for consideration the lawsuit filed by human rights defender Mamikon Hovsepyan against the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia. The claim seeks to annul the decision of August 4, 2025 adopted by the Country Coordinating Mechanism against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (CCM), a body operating under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, by which a reprimand was imposed on him and his membership in the CCM was suspended. 

The court’s decision to accept the claim for consideration confirms that the submitted demands are subject to judicial review and that the issues raised cannot be regarded as unfounded or as matters of a purely internal disciplinary nature. 

It should be recalled that the sanctions imposed on Mamikon Hovsepyan are linked to concerns he repeatedly raised regarding possible financial mismanagement and corruption risks in the healthcare sector. Instead of providing an appropriate response to these concerns, an ethics procedure was initiated, during which the fundamental principles of due process, impartiality, and the right to defense were violated.

Council of Europe Assembly backs ban on conversion practices

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a major resolution urging its 46 member states to ban so-called conversion practices — actions aimed at changing, repressing, or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. The resolution calls on governments to introduce legislation, strengthen survivor support services, set up monitoring and complaints mechanisms, collect data, raise awareness about harm, and combat misinformation and hostility against LGBT+ people.

Although the resolution is not legally binding, it sets an international human rights standard and pushes states to turn recommendations into concrete laws and policies to end harmful conversion practices.

We organized our annual work planning

Pink’s team conducted a work planning process aimed at reviewing actions derived from the organization’s strategic directions, strengthening internal systems, and preparing for upcoming developments. 

During the planning, the team collectively reflected on the organization’s identity and development vision, defining the values and priorities that will guide its work in the coming years. As a result of the discussions, approaches to working with the LGBT+ community and the criteria essential for ensuring the safety of both beneficiaries and staff were clarified. Particular attention was paid to the quality of Pink’s services: existing mechanisms and the partnership network were reviewed, and areas requiring expansion to ensure accessibility for new groups were identified. Ensuring the organization’s sustainability was a key component of the planning process. The team discussed possible models of financial and institutional sustainability with the aim of securing Pink’s continuous and independent operation in the long term. 

A separate discussion focused on risks related to the rights of LGBT+ people in the context of Armenia’s 2026 parliamentary elections. Possible scenarios were developed, and actions were outlined to protect the rights of the community under different potential developments. 

This strategic planning process enabled the team to align experience with vision, strengthen shared responsibility, and establish clear benchmarks to guide Pink’s work throughout 2026.