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Sydney Star Observer
Sept 3 2011
Armenia: police blackmailed gays
Posted on 03 September 2011
Armenian police continued to blackmail gay men after homosexuality was
decriminalised, according to US Embassy cables leaked by Wikileaks.
`Despite new legislation that decriminalised homosexuality in Armenia,
societal discrimination remained an obstacle for homosexuals in 2003,'
the cable reads.
`Members of the homosexual community told [the] US Embassy on December
24 that homosexuals continue to face intolerant attitudes and severe
discrimination in rural areas and in the military.
`[A] Local human rights NGO said that cases of police harassment of
homosexuals now involve blackmail and extortion rather than violence.
Both noted, however, that the overall situation had improved and that
cases of harassment had abated somewhat during the past year in [the
capital] Yerevan.
`Chairman of the Helsinki Association, Mikail Danielyan reported that
police officers continue to harass homosexuals in Armenia. He reported
at least three cases in which police attempted to blackmail men by
threatening to publicly expose them as homosexuals to their families
and friends.
`Police officers now use less violent tactics but pressure homosexuals
for information about homosexuals, especially married men, in
high-ranking business or government positions from whom they can
extort larger amounts of money,' the cable reads.
Armenia has no laws protecting people from discrimination on the
grounds of sexuality.
http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2011/09/03/armenia-police-blackmailed-gays/60869
Sept 3 2011
Armenia: police blackmailed gays
Posted on 03 September 2011
Armenian police continued to blackmail gay men after homosexuality was
decriminalised, according to US Embassy cables leaked by Wikileaks.
`Despite new legislation that decriminalised homosexuality in Armenia,
societal discrimination remained an obstacle for homosexuals in 2003,'
the cable reads.
`Members of the homosexual community told [the] US Embassy on December
24 that homosexuals continue to face intolerant attitudes and severe
discrimination in rural areas and in the military.
`[A] Local human rights NGO said that cases of police harassment of
homosexuals now involve blackmail and extortion rather than violence.
Both noted, however, that the overall situation had improved and that
cases of harassment had abated somewhat during the past year in [the
capital] Yerevan.
`Chairman of the Helsinki Association, Mikail Danielyan reported that
police officers continue to harass homosexuals in Armenia. He reported
at least three cases in which police attempted to blackmail men by
threatening to publicly expose them as homosexuals to their families
and friends.
`Police officers now use less violent tactics but pressure homosexuals
for information about homosexuals, especially married men, in
high-ranking business or government positions from whom they can
extort larger amounts of money,' the cable reads.
Armenia has no laws protecting people from discrimination on the
grounds of sexuality.
http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2011/09/03/armenia-police-blackmailed-gays/60869