Armenian activists gathered at the end of October to discuss ways to strengthen the country’s LGBTIQ movements, six weeks after Azerbaijan’s 12 September attack on Armenia.
“We were thinking about cancelling the forum, especially after September,” said Lilit Avetisyan, chair of Pink Armenia – an NGO founded 15 years ago to support the community, protect human rights and advocate for public policy changes around LGBT issues.
Pink Armenia activists, like others fighting for human rights, feel discouraged and hopeless as the conflict continues. Azerbaijan’s September incursion was one of the most violent since the Second Karabakh War in 2020. Would Armenia really pay attention to LGBTIQ issues at this point of time? On the other hand, said Avetisyan: “When is an appropriate time to talk about human rights?”
