The Human Rights Defender’s reference to the situation of LGBT+ people

On March 27, the Annual Report of the Human Rights Defender (the Ombudsperson) of the Republic of Armenia was published, summarizing the situation of human rights and freedoms in 2025, as well as the Ombudsman’s activities.

The Ombudsperson also referred to the situation of LGBT+ persons’ rights, based on data recorded by the Office, as well as information provided by Pink Human Rights Defender NGO. The analyzed data indicate that serious and systemic issues persist in the field of protection of LGBT+ persons’ rights in Armenia.

In particular, it is noted that homophobic and transphobic attitudes remain widespread in society, while LGBT+ persons frequently face discrimination, hate speech, social exclusion, as well as cases of physical and psychological violence. In 2025, the Human Rights Defender received 15 complaints concerning 23 individuals. At the same time, Pink documented at least 56 cases of rights violations, a significant portion of which are not reported to law enforcement bodies due to lack of trust, fear of secondary victimization, and degrading treatment.

It is also concerning that, in some cases, competent authorities demonstrate insensitive and stereotypical approaches. Meanwhile, gaps in the legislative framework continue to hinder effective protection: sexual orientation and gender identity are not explicitly recognized as protected characteristics, and they are not directly included in provisions related to hate-motivated crimes. In addition, certain approaches in the healthcare sector still persist that may contribute to stigma and discrimination.

Despite certain trainings and awareness-raising initiatives carried out in 2025, efforts aimed at protecting the rights of LGBT+ persons remain insufficient and require a more systematic, continuous, and effective approach.

Taking the above into account, the Ombudsperson concludes that it is necessary to:

• conduct comprehensive studies on public attitudes toward LGBT+ persons in order to identify the prevalence and causes of homophobia and transphobia,
• implement continuous public awareness campaigns aimed at overcoming stereotypes and promoting tolerance,
• ensure systematic training for law enforcement officers, judges, healthcare workers, and other professionals to foster non-discriminatory and sensitive approaches,
• develop sector-specific guidelines and tools for the effective protection of LGBT+ persons’ rights,
• explicitly enshrine “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected characteristics in legislation, including within regulations on discrimination, hate speech, and hate-motivated crimes․

Only through a comprehensive and consistent policy will it be possible to ensure the full protection of LGBT+ persons’ rights and to create an equal, safe, and dignified society for all.