Human rights activists in countries where homosexuality is a criminal offense are often screwed

“LGBTIQ+ people in Armenia are in a difficult position, but in many other countries
homosexuality punishable. Talking openly about your sexual identity leads to that
imprisonment or even death. Human rights activists who denounce this
often harassed by authorities, making their important work difficult.” That's what Mamikon said
Hovspeyan, president of Pink Armenia and the Human Rights House in Yerevan today during the
Remembrance Day at the International Gay Monument in The Hague. He received support from the
The Hague alderman Mariëlle Vavier and chairman Marion Tahapary-Keislair of COC Haaglanden.
Mamikon, temporarily in the Netherlands, is part of the worldwide Shelter City program
Justice and Peace, was invited to speak by the International Gay Monument Foundation
on the theme 'Living with war, fighting in peace.' He called it a great honor to be with it
monument to speak on the occasion of Remembrance Day. He was recently featured in
the documentary 'Fight or Flight' on NPO3.

He ended his speech with a call not to use the National Commemoration just for silence
to stand with those who once fought for our freedoms, but also to rise in the present
stand for the rights of every individual, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, wherever
also in the world. “Only in this way can we work together on a world in which everyone is free and
can live without fear. Only together can we create a world in which every human being
appreciated and celebrated for who he is.”
Councilor Vavier thanked Mamikon in her speech for his commitment to queer rights in Armenia.
“The Hague, as the city of Justice and Peace, supports the struggle of activists such as Mamikon. That's why
The Hague also Shelter City. We offer them safety, peace, support and inspiration. I call everyone
to stand in solidarity with people fighting for queer rights everywhere.” The
alderman further said that he sees the Second World War as a confrontational lesson. “Keep vigilant,
because living in peace and freedom is not self-evident and hatred and war can always arise everywhere
put up.”
COC chairman Marion Tahapary-Keislair also warned in her contribution that tolerance in
our Dutch society is under pressure. Among other things, she referred to the situation recently
in Eindhoven, where COC youth were recently attacked and anti-gay chants
football stadiums and the negative reaction to the reading afternoon by drags. “Let's in
collective commemoration in this international city of justice and peace. So that we pay attention
love each other, so that we can stand strong together and continue to love each other.”
During the commemoration, the names of pink resistance fighters from the Second were mentioned
World War: Frieda Bellinfante, Ru Paré, Niek Engelschman, Sjoerd Bakker and Willem Arondeus.
Their resistance work often remains underexposed and deserves attention. Marion Tahapary Keislair pointed it out
that on September 18, 1942, 80 years ago last year, one of the largest mass murders
took place against pink triangle prisoners in what was then the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. “200
of them were horribly killed that day. The link with the current time
is that we must avoid ever going the same way again. “Truly each other as an equal
treatment requires constant attention,” says Marion.
Mamikon also pointed out that the war in Armenia has led to reforms
to improve the legal position of LGBTIQ+ are always postponed. "It's not the right time"
he often hears. In his speech, he pointed out that a police raid was carried out in Armenia last week
took place in a queer-friendly club.