Hearings were organized in the National Assembly regarding human rights.
The National Assembly Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs called the session. The president of the committee, Naira Zohrabyan, allowed activist and head of the Right Side NGO, Lilit Martirosyan, to speak.
It became clear that Lilit Martirosyan is transgender. Martirosyan said that it was perhaps impossible to imagine that it could be possible to have what we have now in post-revolution Armenia just a few months ago. “I, a transgender woman, am speaking to you from the National Assembly podium. But please, accept me as a collective image. As a member of the transgender community and as the President of the Right Side NGO, I summarize myself as the tortured, raped, kidnapped, physically abused, burned, burned alive, stabbed, almost murdered, murdered, emigrated, robbed, stigmatized and discriminated in social, health, legal, economic, and all other sectors of a dignified life, and poor image of the Armenian transgender individual.”
She said that 283 similar cases were recorded against transgender individuals, and only a small number of those cases were deemed worthy of investigation by the police. She said that this means there are 283 criminals in Armenia. Activists who support transgender individuals are also subject to physical abuse. “A transgender individual was stabbed in the throat in their own apartment, another was subject to horrible beatings, and their whole apartment and belongings were burned- all within one month.” Martirosyan made calls for upholding of gender equality and human rights.
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Naira Zohrabyan, using her right as the president, responded by saying that the listenings for the day were supposed to be about people with disabilities and children. “To take advantage of the situation and to try and bring up an issue from this podium that is not on our agenda at the moment is disrespectful towards me as the president of this committee and towards the National Assembly. No one is violating your rights, but we have a strict agenda today and you have violated the agenda. I consider this to be disrespectful treatment towards our committee and towards our agenda.”
Naira Zohrabyan ordered that Lilit Martirosyan leave the hall. Martirosyan, as well as some of the people accompanying her, left the hall in protest. Activists for transgender rights considered this to be discriminatory treatment.
Hripsime Jebejyan
