Public announcement

On August 31, 2022, the "Iravunk" human rights NGO opened its new office in Yerevan, after which various media outlets, nationalist groups and forces began to discuss the organization's activities on the online platform.

The information posted on the organization's website was used by Blognews.am, iravunk.com and a number of other websites, which, through the spread of hate speech and falsehood, are trying to discredit Lilit Martirosyan and the organization she founded. In addition, some Facebook users used the photos posted on the website, which were distributed on social networks with obscene posts, which generated public sentiments and hate speech among a group of users.

Calls for the murder of trans activist Lilit Martirosyan have been made by various users on social media. A number of forces, pointing to Lilit, want to involve her in various political discussions by spreading false and discriminatory information that endangers Lilit Martirosyan’s life, her free movement and activist activities, and belittles her good reputation.

Calls for violence, incitement to hatred, and death threats made against Lilit Martirosyan and other trans people pose a real threat to the life and health of the trans community and trans activists, as they become targets of people with various extremist approaches, as evidenced by the beating of a transgender woman by Vahe Yeghiazaryan, known for such approaches, in August, the live broadcast of the beating, and the public justification of this act by other people and groups.

We consider it unacceptable to sow hatred against the "Rights Side" IRP and Lilit Martirosyan, as well as false and discrediting news about her, which can lead to irreversible consequences. We have always been guided and will be guided by the universal principles of the primacy of human rights protection.

The "Rights Side" IRP will continue to protect the rights of LGBTIQ people, and the targeting of LGBTIQ people by various media outlets, organizations and individuals violates their rights, as defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

Lilit Martirosyan will continue her active activities in the Republic of Armenia in the interests of protecting the rights of LGBTIQ people, despite the fact that various groups are trying to target her through false agendas.