Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Anti-LGBT law would reflect noncompliance with international obligat

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Anti-LGBT law would reflect noncompliance with international obligat

    Anti-LGBT law would reflect noncompliance with international
    obligations - HRW to Armenian president

    10:56 - 19.10.13



    Human Rights watch has expressed its concerns over a proposal for
    revising the gender equality law in Armenia in an effort to remove the
    controversial provision regarding the definition of gender.


    In a letter addressed to President Serzh Sargsyan, a deputy director
    for the organization's Europe and Central Asia Division, Rachel Denber
    , says the measure would amount to a restriction against people based
    on sexual orientation, reflecting t he Armenian government's
    noncompliance with its obligations to promote tolerance towards LGBT
    people and protect them against discrimination.


    The organizations calls for the Armenian government's efforts to
    protect the rights of the LGBT people and take action to prevent the
    passage of any measures that it says would violate the European
    Convention on Human Rights and other international instruments.


    The full text of the letter is provided below:

    Dear Mr Sargsyan,

    We are writing to express our concern regarding a proposal for
    legislative amendments that appeared on the website of the Police of
    the Republic of Armenia on August 5. The proposals sought to add two
    articles to the Code of Administrative Offenses outlawing the
    `propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,' a move that would be
    in clear violation of freedom of expression and discriminate against
    lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

    The police have since removed the proposal from its website, and media
    reports indicate that there are no immediate plans for parliament to
    consider it. However, we are concerned that other institutions may
    seek to introduce similar proposals and ask that you ensure that such
    measures are forcefully opposed as incompatible with international
    human rights law and would not advance for parliamentary debate.

    The proposal claimed the ban would `protect' Armenian families. It
    would impose fines of up to 350 times Armenia's minimum wage on
    citizens, public officials, and legal entities who breach the law. The
    proposal did not define `propaganda' or `nontraditional sexual
    relations.'

    The broad wording of the proposal meant that it could have been used
    to restrict the rights of human rights organizations, civil society
    groups, or anyone else who works on issues such as the rights of LGBT
    people or sex workers. It also would have discriminated against LGBT
    people on grounds of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

    Armenian civil society organizations learned of the proposal only when
    it was published on the website of the Police of the Republic of
    Armenia.

    Measures such as those proposed by the police are illegal under
    international human rights instruments that Armenia is obliged to
    uphold. They impose unjustified - and therefore unlawful -
    restrictions on the freedoms of expression and assembly, in violation
    of articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and
    articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and
    Political Rights. Armenia is a party to both. They also violate the
    international prohibition on discrimination, guaranteed by both
    instruments.

    The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has unanimously
    adopted a set of recommendations (CM/Rec (2010)5) to member states,
    including Armenia, on measures to combat discrimination on the grounds
    of sexual orientation or gender identity. The recommendations invite
    the member states to ensure that the stipulated principles and
    measures are applied in national legislation, policies, and practices
    relevant to the protection of LGBT people. Relevant recommendations
    are:

    1. Examine existing legislative and other measures, keep them under
    review, and collect and analyze relevant data, in order to monitor and
    redress any direct or indirect discrimination on grounds of sexual
    orientation or gender identity;

    1. Ensure that legislative and other measures are adopted and
    effectively implemented to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual
    orientation or gender identity, to ensure respect for the human rights
    of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons and to promote
    tolerance towards them.

    Measures such as those in the proposal directly contradict the Council
    of Europe recommendations.

    Civil society organizations in Armenia have expressed concern over the
    government's failure to protect the social, economic and political
    rights of LGBT people. LGBT people continue to face discrimination in
    accessing employment and healthcare, as well as violence in the army
    and in families. The government has yet to pass a law banning hate
    crimes in Armenia, leaving LGBT people vulnerable to abuses such as
    the repeated homophobic attacks against the DIY pub during May 2012. A
    draft law currently under consideration by parliament outlawing
    discrimination on the grounds of sex, ethnicity, and age omits sexual
    orientation from its considerations.

    Any measures to limit LGBT peoples' freedom of expression and assembly
    on the basis of their sexual or gender identity would further reflect
    the Armenian government's noncompliance with its obligations to
    promote tolerance towards LGBT people and protect them against
    discrimination. They could also possibly condone homophobia and
    transphobia, which contributes to a climate of hatred and violence.

    We call on the Armenian government to support LGBT peoples' human
    rights and take actions to curb the passage of any measures that
    violate the European Convention on Human Rights and other
    international instruments to which Armenia is party.
    Sincerely,

    Rachel Denber

    Deputy Director

    Europe and Central Asia Division


    Copies of the letter have been sent to Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
    and President of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan.



    http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/10/19/hrw-armenia/

Working...
X