The US Embassy condemns the firebombing ofYerevan’s D.I.Y. Club on May 8, 2012, and the continued acts of vandalism against the club. The crime appears to have targeted a sexual minority group. Armenia’s own constitution prohibits the incitement and use of violence. Using violence against any minority–racial, religious, ethnic or sexual–is unpardonable. Acts of hate should never be condoned by public officials, let alone praised. Regardless of their minority affiliation, all citizens and foreign guests inArmeniaenjoy equal protection underArmenia’s constitution and law, so violence against them should be swiftly and firmly prosecuted and the offenders punished. We urge Armenian officials to adopt a zero tolerance policy against all hate crimes and violence directed at minorities inArmenia, and to fulfill their responsibility for according all citizens protection under the law.
Today, in Washington, D.C., Secretary Clinton is releasing the 2011 Annual Human Rights Reports, which call for tolerance of diversity, all types of diversity, based on internationally accepted standards and principles. You can watch the live broadcast of the release at www.state.gov at 10:30am (6:30pm inYerevan).
