EU Delegation calls on Armenia to condemn hate speech directed at LGBTI community

The European Union Delegation and resident EU Member State Embassies are gravely concerned with a number of recent cases where serious threats, including death threats, have been made against minorities and human rights defenders in Armenia. Hate speech, including death threats directed at Ms. Lilit Martirosyan, her colleagues and the LGBTI community as a whole represent the worrying latest in this trend and amount to discrimination prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms to which Armenia is party and which is reflected in the Constitution of Armenia.

The EU calls on all in Armenia who promote and believe in the universality of human rights to condemn hate speech and on law enforcement agencies to take urgent steps to guarantee the physical safety of Armenian citizens and to investigate allegations against those suspected of perpetrating hate crimes.