The gathering provided an opportunity to get to know one another, share experiences and concerns, and discuss the realities and challenges faced by different communities.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in various activities dedicated to queer culture, spending time in a safe, inclusive, and mutually respectful environment.

Such gatherings contribute to strengthening community ties, mutual support, and the creation of more inclusive and accessible communities.

The post Queerathon: A Day of Community Building and Experience Sharing appeared first on Pink Armenia.

From June 26 to 28, the annual concluding event of Pride Month, Pride Camp, took place in a nature-filled, safe, and comfortable environment.

The theme of the 6th Pride Camp was “I Am” and was dedicated to queer identity, self-discovery, personal growth, and strengthening community connections.

The goal of the camp was to create a space where participants could better understand themselves, share their stories and experiences, listen to one another, and form new supportive connections.

21 LGBT+ individuals from different regions and communities of Armenia participated in the camp.

During this time, an environment based on trust and acceptance was formed among the participants, where everyone shared their life stories, concerns, and achievements through open and honest conversations.

During the camp, discussions were held dedicated to queer identity, self-worth, personal experiences, and mutual support.

The agenda also included self-discovery exercises, group work, experience sharing, and collective relaxation, which contributed to forming new connections and strengthening mutual support within the community.

Pride Camp continues to be a safe and inclusive space for the community to get to know one another, build connections, and empower each other together.

The theme “I Am” once again emphasized that recognizing and valuing one’s own identity is an important step toward better understanding ourselves, accepting ourselves, and building stronger connections within the community.

The post Pride Camp 6. “I Am” appeared first on Pink Armenia.

Three-Day Gathering for Newly Arrived LGBT+ People in Armenia

From June 12 to 14, a three-day gathering was held for newly arrived LGBT+ people in Armenia. Its purpose was to provide participants with practical information, support, and the necessary skills to help them organize their new lives in Armenia and navigate various systems with greater confidence.

The gathering brought together 16 participants from the LGBT+ community representing different countries, including Iran, India, Nigeria, Algeria, Russia, and others.

Throughout the program, participants had the opportunity not only to receive useful information but also to share their own experiences, voice their concerns, and discuss the challenges they encounter while living in Armenia.

Pink’s Team as Observers During the Elections

During the elections, members of our team — Seda, Edgar, Karine, and Ara — were involved as observers, advocates, and lawyers, supporting the monitoring of the electoral process and responding to potential issues.

Pink will continue to contribute to the strengthening of human rights and democratic values in Armenia.

I Stay Silent Because…

As part of the “I Stay Silent Because…” campaign, 6 videos were published on Pink’s YouTube channel, where LGBT+ people shared their stories, talking about the reasons behind their silence, its consequences, and the challenges they face in their daily lives.

Pride Month Events

Our representatives attended Pride events held in Chișinău and Ljubljana, sharing experiences, gaining inspiration from international communities, and representing Armenia’s LGBT+ community.

Beyond the marches, they also participated in various conferences, meetings, and discussions, contributing to the strengthening of connections between Armenia’s LGBT+ community and activists with international partners and promoting further cooperation.

Pride Camp 2026

From June 26 to 28, the annual concluding event of Pride Month took place — the 6th Pride Camp, which this year was held under the theme “I Am.” The camp brought together 21 LGBT+ participants from different communities across Armenia, providing a safe and inclusive environment that fostered self-discovery, appreciation of identity, exchange of experiences, and strengthening of community connections.

As part of the program, discussions, practical self-discovery exercises, group work, and experience-sharing formats were organized, contributing to the development of a culture of mutual trust, solidarity, and support. The theme “I Am” emphasized the importance of recognizing and accepting one’s own identity as a fundamental condition for personal growth, community cohesion, and empowerment.

Research on LGBT+ People’s Experiences of Becoming Parents

Pink Human Rights NGO is conducting research on the experiences and challenges of LGBTQ+ people in becoming parents in Armenia.

The aim of the research is to explore the possibilities for LGBT+ people in Armenia, including couples, to have children.

The survey is completely anonymous.

The post Recap | June 2026 appeared first on Pink Armenia.

On June 12-14, a three-day gathering was held for LGBT+ people who had recently arrived in Armenia. The aim of the event was to provide participants with practical information, support, and essential skills to help them organize their new lives in Armenia and navigate different systems with more confidence.

The gathering brought together 16 LGBT+ participants from different countries, including Iran, India, Nigeria, Algeria, Russia, and others.

During the program, participants not only received useful information but also had the opportunity to share their experiences, voice their concerns, and discuss the challenges they face while living in Armenia.

Finding Employment and Housing

One of the important topics of the program was the process of searching for employment and housing.

Different methods of job searching, the most commonly used websites and platforms in Armenia, as well as the specifics of communicating with employers were discussed with the participants.

The session also covered self-presentation skills, the job application process, and important considerations during interviews.

The discussion also covered what information is appropriate to share with employers, how to prepare for interviews, and the challenges foreign citizens may face when looking for work.

Within the topic of housing search, participants learned about the main platforms for finding apartments, common issues during the rental process, and steps that can help avoid scams or other risks.

Legal Framework and Rights

During the meeting, participants were introduced to the legal regulations in Armenia related to employment and residence for foreign citizens.

The required documents for legal employment, issues related to work permits and residence status, as well as potential challenges faced by citizens of different countries were discussed.

Participants also had the opportunity to learn about the legal mechanisms operating in Armenia and the institutions they can turn to for the protection of their rights.

A separate discussion was held on cases of discrimination, addressing different situations and possible ways to respond to them.

Digital and Physical Safety

Another important part of the program was dedicated to digital and physical safety issues.

Participants discussed methods for protecting personal data, using social media safely, and reducing potential risks during online communication.

Special attention was also given to safety guidelines for using dating apps and websites.

The key principles of maintaining safety during both online and in-person meetings, protecting personal boundaries, and preventing potentially dangerous situations were discussed.

Within the framework of physical safety, participants also discussed safe movement in public spaces, assessing risky situations, and options for seeking support when necessary.

The three-day gathering became an important opportunity for participants to gain new knowledge, receive answers to their questions, and connect with other people who are also in the process of adapting and starting a new life in Armenia.

The post Three-Day Gathering For LGBT+ Newcomers To Armenia appeared first on Pink Armenia.

11th Rainbow Forum: Compliance Or Resistance

On May 15–16, the 11th Rainbow Forum took place.

The forum brought together LGBT+ people, allies, and partners to discuss human rights, community resilience, safety, mental health, and the challenges faced by LGBT+ people in Armenia.

The two-day gathering fostered new connections, encouraged the exchange of experiences, and strengthened community solidarity.

Annual Report on the Human Rights of LGBT+ People in Armenia

Pink Human Rights Defender NGO has published its annual report on the human rights situation of LGBT+ people in Armenia. During 2025, the organization’s social workers and lawyers received 402 requests for support, from which 56 cases of rights violations were identified and thoroughly documented. All documented cases involved discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The annual report was presented to the public during the 11th Rainbow Forum.

“Pre-election misinformation and AI-generated videos in the name of the LGBT+ community. The publication by Ampop Media”

Ampop Media published a fact-check on the fake activity under the name “Armenian Queer Union,” through which several false claims were exposed that mislead the public and spread hostility toward LGBTQ+ people.

The initiative emphasized the importance of fact-based information, media literacy, and responsible public discourse as key components of human rights protection.

“Pink Human Rights NGO is being used in disinformation and manipulative campaigns”

According to a fact-checking investigation by Fip.am, fake pages, forged letters, and unverified information have been spread on social networks with the aim of creating fear, panic, and polarization within society.

The article concludes that LGBT+ topics are often turned into a tool of political influence and counter-propaganda, while human rights organizations become targets of coordinated information attacks.

“Demands to political parties ahead of parliamentary elections”

Fifteen civil society organizations are calling on political forces participating in the elections to take clear commitments, if elected to parliament, toward protecting women’s rights and ensuring gender equality. They are proposing 15 urgent measures across labor, reproductive, social, and justice sectors.

The proposals include strengthening mechanisms to combat gender discrimination and violence, introducing sexual education, expanding women’s economic and social support, and improving protection for victims of violence and access to justice.

The post Recap | May 2026 appeared first on Pink Armenia.

On 3 February 2024, a group of people planned together and attacked an individual, inflicting moderate injuries with a knife or other sharp object. The attack was motivated by hatred toward the victim based on their sexual orientation. 

This case represents the first instance among dozens of similar cases documented by the organization over the years in which law enforcement authorities took the hate motive into account during the legal qualification of the offence and the investigation of the case, directly linking it to the victim’s sexual orientation. It is also noteworthy that the response demonstrated in this case was connected, to some extent, with the fact that the victim was a United States citizen. 

During the criminal proceedings, the investigative authority included in the charges the fact that the offence had been committed with a motive of hatred and intolerance toward a gay person. The prosecutor approved the indictment, and the case was referred to the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan City. 

Following the examination and assessment of the evidence presented during the trial, the Court found the charges under Article 167(2), Points 7 and 15 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia to be substantiated and issued a guilty verdict.

On 23 April 2026, the Court sentenced the defendants to 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment. 

At the same time, it is important to emphasize that this case remains a precedent in circumstances where dozens of other cases involving violence and hate-motivated offences against LGBT+ people have not been effectively investigated, and where hate motives are frequently disregarded by law enforcement authorities. Distrust toward the law enforcement system among LGBT+ people continues to constitute a serious and concerning issue, stemming both from ineffective investigations and from a deeply entrenched climate of impunity that has persisted for many years. 

The post Hate Towards LGBT+ Community as an Aggravating Circumstance. Precedential Judgement appeared first on Pink Armenia.

On May 15–16, the 11th Rainbow Forum took place, bringing together LGBTI+ people, allies, and partner organizations for discussions, mutual support, and the strengthening of community ties.

This year’s forum was held under the theme “Compliance or Resistance,” creating a space to speak about the challenges faced by LGBTI+ people in Armenia, different strategies for responding to oppression, as well as the importance of collective resistance, care, and cooperation.

The forum opened with the presentation of the annual report “The Human Rights Situation of LGBTI+ People in Armenia: 2025” and a roundtable discussion. Participants discussed human rights violations recorded in 2025 based on sexual orientation and gender identity, barriers to reporting cases to law enforcement bodies, distrust toward institutions, hate crimes, hate speech and calls to violence, cases of domestic and intimate partner violence, as well as existing issues within the justice system.

The report “The Human Rights Situation of LGBTI+ People in Armenia: 2025” presents the human rights situation of LGBTI+ people in Armenia, addressing cases of discrimination, violence, and hate speech.

During the official opening of the forum, participants were also introduced to the forum spaces and safety guidelines, emphasizing the importance of creating safer and more inclusive environments for LGBTI+ people and allies in Armenia.

“Our Future in Armenia: Discussing Concerns with Partners”

One of the key discussions of the first day, “Our Future in Armenia: Discussing Concerns with Partners,” brought together representatives of LGBTI+ and partner organizations to address the challenges of the current political climate, visions for the development of the movement and human rights agenda, and possibilities for stronger collaboration within the movement.

The forum also included “Breathing Spaces” dedicated to participants’ emotional wellbeing and recovery. These spaces included karaoke, dancing, relaxation, and various self-care activities, creating a supportive and safe environment.

Parallel discussions during the first day focused on the impact of electoral processes and political rhetoric on the LGBTI+ community, the history and importance of safe and inclusive community spaces, as well as the influence of social media, algorithms, and disinformation on trust and communication.

At the end of the day, a reception and music evening took place, becoming an informal and safe space for conversations, new connections, strengthening community ties, and celebrating solidarity.

The second day of the forum continued with discussions around xenophobia, prejudice, and exclusion within the community, seeking to understand the impact of systemic oppression and to explore possibilities for building more inclusive and supportive environments.

Participants also engaged in discussions on queer politics and feminism. 

The forum also hosted parallel spaces dedicated to youth exchange programs, Armenian drag culture as a form of visibility and resistance, and the legal and social challenges faced by migrants and asylum seekers. Another space brought together parents of LGBTI+ people, creating a warm environment to discuss the importance of family support and relationships with parents.

During the second day of the forum, participants also had access to free and confidential HIV testing and counseling in cooperation with the NGO “Real World, Real People.”

This year, the 11th Rainbow Forum brought together a total of 158 participants, including LGBTI+ people, allies, parents, helping professionals, researchers, representatives of international and state institutions, and others.

The 11th Rainbow Forum concluded with a closing discussion reflecting on the main themes, challenges, and key conclusions that emerged throughout the two days.

As in previous years, the Rainbow Forum once again served as an important platform for strengthening dialogue, visibility, solidarity, and cooperation between the LGBTI+ community and allied movements in Armenia.

The post 11th Rainbow Forum. Compliance Or Resistance appeared first on Pink Armenia.

Pink Human Rights Defender NGO has released its annual report on the human rights situation of LGBT+ people in Armenia. Over the course of 2025, the organisation’s social workers and lawyers received 402 requests for assistance, from which 56 cases of rights violations were identified and documented in detail and all of them accompanied by discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Domestic violence continues to dominate

Of the 56 documented cases, 30 involve domestic violence. Twenty of these were perpetrated against adults, most often by parents, five against minors, and a further five constitute intimate partner violence. Victims were subjected to psychological, physical, and economic abuse, ranging up to expulsion from home and restriction of freedom of movement. In a number of cases, family members attempted to “correct” the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through psychological pressure, fortune-tellers, or other non-professional methods that may qualify as inhuman treatment.

Other documented violations include 7 cases of physical violence, 2 of sexual assault, 1 of extortion, and numerous incidents of psychological abuse and threats, along with three labour-rights violations in which victims were denied employment or dismissed solely because of their identity.

Few turn to the police

One of the report’s most troubling findings is that, of the 56 cases, victims approached law enforcement in only 8. This is the lowest figure recorded in recent years. The organisation points to three principal drivers of mistrust in the law-enforcement system: persistent discriminatory treatment and mockery by police, ineffective investigation of cases, and the absence of any mechanisms to prevent further violence.

In one documented case, a man who had beaten a trans woman continued to direct discriminatory insults at her inside the police station, in the presence of the investigator. In another, a person detained on suspicion of drug possession was ordered to open his social-media accounts; upon learning his sexual orientation, officers began making derogatory remarks.

Hate speech, including from public officials

In March 2025, Vardan Ghukasyan, a candidate for mayor of Gyumri, declared at a press conference that he was ready to “shoot inside the church” any priest who would dare officiate a same-sex marriage, and called on the public to support him with the promise: “you’ll see what I bring down on the heads of the LGTB.” Despite reports filed by three human rights organisations, the investigative authority concluded that the statement contained no incitement to violence or propaganda of it. Ghukasyan was subsequently elected mayor and has continued to make discriminatory statements, with no response from state authorities.

International rulings and ongoing advocacy

In January 2025, the European Court of Human Rights, in Minasyan and Others v. Armenia, found that Armenia had violated the rights of 14 applicants to private life and to non-discrimination by failing to provide effective protection against a 2014 publication in the Iravunq newspaper, which had compiled a “blacklist of enemies of the nation” naming LGBT+ activists and allies. The judgment obliges the state to take concrete steps toward establishing effective protection mechanisms against hate speech.

At the United Nations’ fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Review, recommendations to Armenia concerning the rights of LGBT+ people reached 24, submitted by 22 states. Yet the draft anti-discrimination law, under discussion for over a decade, has still not reached the National Assembly, and continues to omit sexual orientation and gender identity from the list of protected characteristics.

Recommendations

Pink NGO calls on state bodies to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, to apply hate motivation as an aggravating circumstance in practice, to introduce mandatory training for law-enforcement officers, and to refrain from instrumentalising LGBT+ issues in political competition. The organisation urges media outlets to avoid publications that incite hatred, and calls on international institutions to strengthen monitoring of Armenia’s compliance with its commitments.

You can read the full report and all the recommendations here.

The post Human rights situation of LGBT+ people in Armenia remains a source of concern: annual report appeared first on Pink Armenia.

As Spain claims the top of Europe’s LGBTI rights ranking for the first time and dozens of countries record shifts in both directions, Armenia has not moved. Year after year, the country remains locked in the same position, its LGBTI community living without legal protection, without recognition, and without meaningful recourse.

Every year, ILGA-Europe publishes its Rainbow Map, a ranking of 49 European countries on their legal and policy frameworks for LGBTI people, scored from 0 to 100 percent. The 2026 edition, released today, tells what its authors describe as two stories at once: one of political courage, and one of real and growing danger. For Armenia, it tells neither. It tells a story of standstill.

At the top of the 2026 map, Spain breaks Malta’s decade-long hold on first place, earning its position through concrete government action, adopting equality action plans for LGBTI and trans rights, establishing an independent authority for equal treatment, and fully implementing the depathologisation of trans people in the healthcare system. Malta drops to second place with a score of 88 percent, reflecting its own stagnation and the absence of a comprehensive anti-discrimination framework despite an Equality Bill tabled back in 2019 that has been stalled ever since. Iceland holds third at 86 percent.

At the other end of the spectrum, the three lowest-ranked countries are Russia and Azerbaijan, both at 2 percent, and Turkey at 5 percent. Within the European Union, the lowest-ranked member states are Romania at 19 percent, Bulgaria at 20 percent, and Poland at 22 percent.

“This year’s Rainbow Map tells two stories at once. One of genuine courage, in Spain, in courtrooms, and in leaders who are choosing to stand with their communities rather than scapegoat them. And one of real and growing danger that cannot be underestimated.”

Katrin Hugendubel, Deputy Director, ILGA-Europe

Armenia’s score on the Rainbow Map has not changed. There is no new law to report, no new policy to announce, no meaningful step forward and no dramatic step backward either. The country remains where it has been for years: near the bottom of the European ranking, surrounded by a legal vacuum that leaves LGBTI people entirely unprotected by the state.

The draft Law on anti-discrimination, which civil society has been monitoring for several years, remains unfinalised. Critically, it does not explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity among the prohibited grounds for discrimination. Although the law was expected to reach the National Assembly in early 2025, it did not. Armenia’s government also approved a Gender Policy Strategy and Action Plan for 2025–2028, which human rights organisations cautiously welcomed but noted that it too falls short of explicitly addressing sexual orientation and gender identity as protected grounds.

The human cost of this legislative silence is documented by Armenian civil society in disturbing detail. Pink Armenia recorded 56 violations of human rights linked to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in 2025 alone. Thirty of those cases involved domestic violence. Out of all 56 incidents, only 8 were reported to police. Of those 8, one victim withdrew their complaint, another declined to pursue proceedings, and just one case ultimately went to trial.

The situation for trans people is particularly acute. Armenia has no legal procedure for changing the gender marker on official documents. Although name changes are technically possible under the Law on Civil Status Acts Registration, the law provides no pathway for legal gender recognition. In practice, trans people are often required to undergo psychiatric evaluation or medical procedures to access rights that, under international standards, should be grounded in self-determination.

In the absence of any formal framework, trans people in Armenia are forced to rely on informal networks and personal connections with sympathetic healthcare providers. The country faces a significant shortage of endocrinologists and other specialists trained to provide gender-affirming care. As documented by Pink Armenia, this leaves individuals either self-administering treatments or depending on untrained providers, creating serious and entirely preventable health risks.

In the military, documented abuses in 2025 included the forced disclosure of sexual orientation, humiliation, and coercive transfers of gay soldiers. In one case, a young man was placed in a psychiatric institution for several months solely because of his sexual orientation. In another, intimate videos were circulated among servicemen without consent, leading to threats and harassment that continued even after the individual was discharged.

A judgment from the European Court of Human Rights delivered in January 2025 found violations against Armenia in the case of Minasyan and Others v. Armenia, a case brought by 14 activists who had been targeted by LGBTI-phobic hate speech following their public support for a contestant at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014. The court held that Armenian domestic courts failed to strike a fair balance between freedom of expression and the right to private life, offering no effective protection against hate speech. Separately, research by Pink Armenia found that the existing criminal code provision criminalising calls to violence has been applied almost exclusively to cases involving political authorities, and has never been meaningfully used to protect LGBTI people.

There is one dimension of the Armenia picture that carries at least the possibility of future movement. In November 2025, the European Commission presented a Visa Liberalisation Action Plan to Armenian authorities which sets out required reforms including the effective implementation of Armenia’s National Human Rights Strategy and strengthened anti-discrimination policies. In December, the EU-Armenia Partnership Council held its sixth meeting, with both parties adopting a new Strategic Agenda and noting an upcoming EU-Armenia Summit in May 2026. As EU-Armenia cooperation is explicitly grounded in commitments to human rights and non-discrimination, the deepened partnership may carry eventual implications for LGBTI protections though the Rainbow Map data shows no sign of that influence yet.

The post Standing still while Europe moves appeared first on Pink Armenia.

Digital pathways: Pink’s presence on social media

Pink is consistently active across the various social media platforms and networks used in Armenia. In the early years of its activity, the most widely used platform was Facebook, after which new opportunities emerged with new formats. However, over the years each platform changes its terms of operation, some cannot withstand the competition of the digital world and shut down or transform. For example, after Twitter was sold and its new owner began encouraging hate and violence, Pink decided to stop using the platform, now renamed X, and keep the organization’s page as an archive. Instead, we began actively using Threads and BlueSky.

For a long time we also discussed TikTok as a potential opportunity. There was no shortage of resistance and skepticism within the organization, but a generational shift, both within the organization and in the community, pushed us to take that risk. On one hand, TikTok is flooded with extreme hatred; on the other, it is home to numerous influential LGBT+ influencers and allies who speak openly about sexuality, raise the visibility of the community, rack up hundreds of thousands of views, and spark interest in the topic.

And so we too are gradually entering that platform, initially with videos encouraging community engagement ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. Follow us on social media.

Three-day wellbeing camp

From April 10 to 12, the now traditional camp dedicated to personal growth took place. This three-day gathering brought together queer individuals and allies, creating a safe, supportive, and caring environment for personal growth and the exchange of experiences.

This time, the camp’s key theme was safety in its many dimensions.

Over the three days, participants had the opportunity to work with specialized psychologists and cybersecurity experts. Together, we explored various aspects of digital, emotional, psychological, and physical safety.

The anti-discrimination law was discussed in the correspondence between the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and Nikol Pashinyan

On March 30, 2026, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, as a summary of her working visit to Armenia in February of this year, addressed a letter to Nikol Pashinyan, calling for the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation.

Emphasizing the importance of aligning Armenia’s anti-discrimination legislation with Council of Europe standards, the Commissioner referred to the fact that the draft anti-discrimination law developed by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia designates the Human Rights Defender as the equality body. However, this may be problematic in light of international requirements, according to which the Equality Body should provide individual support to victims of discrimination and represent their interests before various bodies, including in cases of discrimination by private entities.

The Commissioner also addressed the need to protect LGBTI persons, stressing the necessity of explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity in the law as protected characteristics, serving as grounds for protection against discrimination. Reference was also made to the importance of providing interested organizations with the right to apply to courts in defense of the public interest.

Important warning about fake pages

Recently, we have observed an increase in fake pages impersonating Pink, which deliberately spread disinformation about the organization’s activities.

These incidents are not accidental. They often coincide with pre-election periods, when public discourse becomes more polarized and LGBT+ individuals become especially vulnerable targets for manipulative actions and disinformation campaigns. During such times, various disinformation efforts are used as tools to shape public opinion and to instill fear and distrust.

This case once again demonstrates that LGBT+ individuals and related issues continue to be exploited within political and informational manipulation, with the aim of deepening social tensions and fueling hate speech.

Academic writing training

Pink invites you to participate in the online course “Academic Writing: Analytical Essay, Theory, and Publishing Pathways.” The instructor is Nazeli Tonoyan, a specialist from Harvard University.

This course is designed for everyone who wishes to develop their academic/professional writing skills in English and learn to write analytical essays at a master’s level.

Training is in English. Registration is open until May 31.

The post Recap | April 2026 appeared first on Pink Armenia.