A man armed with a knife attacked and beat a trans woman in her apartment

Friday, the evening of June 14, a man attacked a trans woman in her apartment and severely beat her. First, the man called the trans woman, who is a sex worker, wanting to meet her, but coming to her house, he took out a knife from his pocket and attacked the trans woman, threatened to kill her, hit different parts of her body, causing bodily injuries, scratches and bruises, pulling and tearing hair. The trans woman managed to get out on the balcony and call for help, after which the abuser left. The trans woman immediately turned to the police, the investigation department of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts, where a criminal case was initiated and the trans woman was recognized as a victim and sent for forensic examination.

Today, on June 17, the trans woman appealed to Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO so that the organization’s legal team would be involved in this case and provide legal representation at all stages.

Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO condemns gender-based violence and will pursue the full disclosure of the case and bring the perpetrator to justice. In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of physical violence against Trans LGBIQ people, as evidenced by the cases of physical violence documented in the past year, as well as the murder of a trans woman on August 20, 2023. Unfortunately, today in the Republic of Armenia there is an atmosphere of impunity that perpetuates violence against Trans and LGBIQ persons due to incomplete legal regulations, the absence of a law criminalizing discrimination against Trans and LGBIQ persons, and imperfect legal practices, which has created a fertile ground for harassment and violence against Trans and LGBIQ persons. 

Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO follows the course of criminal cases with the participation of Trans and LGBIQ individuals, consistently documents and collects cases of discrimination and violence, and will keep this case at the center of its attention as well, urging the RA Police to conduct a proper investigation.