Right Side NGO Condemns the Hate Speech by Gyumri Mayoral Candidate Vardan Ghukasyan

Right Side NGO expresses deep concern and strongly condemns the recent public hate speech made by Vardan Ghukasyan, candidate for mayor of Gyumri, during the campaign leading up to the March 31, 2025, local elections, as well as in his post-election statements.

Ghukasyan’s ongoing targeting of the LGBTIQ community, his intolerance toward sexual and gender diversity- "If you hate LGBT people, come stand next to me, you'll see what I'll do to LGBT people," "If they start marrying gay people like in Europe, I'll say it out loud—I’ll shoot that priest in the church if he ever does something like that" and his misogynistic rhetoric—such as stating that “women tempt men when they wear short skirts, and men can’t resist the temptation”—are not only discriminatory and degrading, but also promote violence, incite hatred, and deepen existing divisions in society.

We remind the public that this is not the first time Vardan Ghukasyan has targeted the LGBTIQ community. Back in 2019, following a historic speech by trans activist Lilit Martirosyan at the National Assembly on April 5, in which she spoke about the rights and realities of trans people in Armenia, Ghukasyan once again responded with hostility, stating publicly: “Send them to Holland. We want women to be women and men to be men.”

This was one of many such statements made by Ghukasyan over the years—statements that have fueled public hostility and normalized hate and discrimination. His continuous hate-based rhetoric has had a direct and damaging impact on public perception, exacerbating intolerance and threatening the safety and dignity of LGBTIQ individuals in Armenia, as evidenced by the hate speech comments circulating online.

Such statements are unacceptable, particularly in a country where discrimination, gender inequality, and hate against marginalized communities remain pressing human rights concerns and real threats to public safety and social cohesion.

We emphasize that candidates for public office, and public figures more broadly, have a duty to uphold the values of human rights, equality, and solidarity. When a political figure undermines these values and spreads hate, they forfeit their moral legitimacy to represent and serve the public.

At the same time, Right Side NGO has submitted a formal complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Armenia, demanding that legal action be taken in response to Ghukasyan’s use of hate speech. We have also sent an official letter to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, urging a clear response and public condemnation of these dangerous statements.

We demand that:

• Vardan Ghukasyan publicly acknowledge and take responsibility for his hate speech,
• Competent state bodies examine the possible legal consequences of these statements in accordance with Armenian legislation and international human rights standards,
• Media outlets, civil society actors, state institutions, and political forces take a clear stand against all forms of hate speech and discrimination.

Right Side NGO stands with all those who continue to face hate, violence, and discrimination simply for who they are or how they express themselves. We remain committed to building an inclusive, just, and equal society—one where hate speech has no place