PM comments on highly publicized parliament speech of transgender

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS. The moment Lilit Martirosyan was granted an Armenian passport, the person was granted all rights and obligations of a citizen, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters, addressing the discussions about a highly publicized speech by Lilit Martirosyan, a transgender woman who is the Chairperson of the Right Side NGO. Martirosyan delivered remarks during public hearings on human rights in parliament on April 5, which even sparked a minor demonstration.

“In 2015, a citizen named Vaghinak Martirosyan was issued a passport, he was issued a passport by the name of Lilit Martirosyan, the passport states – Lilit Martirosyan, gender – male. The moment the HHK [Republicans] gave this person a passport of an Armenian citizen, they included this person in the electoral lists and bestowed the person with all rights of an Armenian citizen,” Pashinyan said.

He said he has demanded the State Protection Service, in charge of security at the parliament building, to issue an explanation on how the person entered the building. He said the document provided by the security service shows that the list of citizens invited to the hearings was given by MP Naira Zohrabyan.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan