‘You don’t know what sexual orientation the MPs sitting next to you have’ – ‘Call to order’ – Debate in Parliament

KP Member of Parliament Hasmik Hakobyan considers the statement by opposition MP Gegham Nazaryan, who said they would not protect those who choose same-sex partners, to be very dangerous. Hakobyan made this statement in Parliament. “You say from this podium that if a person does not have a traditional sexual orientation, it is permissible to beat them, to use violence,” she said. According to her, no one knows what orientation their neighbor has. “Mr. Nazaryan, you do not know what orientation those in your faction have, what orientation the MPs sitting next to you have,” said Hasmik Hakobyan.

Arthur Khachatryan from the “Armenia” faction responded to this statement by saying, “Call to order.” In response, Hakobyan stated, “Mr. Khachatryan, we also do not know what orientation those in our faction have, it is unnecessary to legitimize violence from here and send a message that citizens with non-traditional sexual orientations can be beaten.”

It is noteworthy that the discussion was about the draft law on amendments and additions to the law on the prevention of violence in the family, the protection of individuals subjected to violence in the family, and the restoration of family cohesion, presented by KP female MPs Zaruhy Batoyan, Sona Ghazaryan, and Tsovinar Vardanyan. According to this draft law, testing for virginity is prohibited. Also, the definition of family has been expanded, and the concepts of partner and partner woman have been added. According to the KP members, the legislative ban concerns physical violence, and they claim that virginity testing is also included in physical violence. The draft received 63 votes in favor, 32 against, and 1 abstention in the voting.