OC Media

OC Media

‘I lived in hell’: life in a psychiatric hospital in Armenia

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Gyumri Mental Health Centre (Armine Avetisyan / OC Media)

A recent report by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia suggested that instead of receiving the help they need, patients with psy­chi­atric illnesses were often met with poor con­di­tions and human rights vio­la­tions in Armenia’s psy­chi­atric insti­tu­tions. [Read more…]

Georgia’s early marriages: destinies blackened in white dresses

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Sanubar and her daughter. (Gulnur Kazimova / OC Media)

Despite tight­en­ing laws against early marriages in Georgia, among the country’s ethnic Azer­bai­jani pop­u­la­tion, they remain common. The results of such marriages are often tragic, with young girls leaving education, becoming victims of domestic violence, or in some cases, dying. [Read more…]

Voice | ‘Our families are as holy as yours’ — stories of acceptance

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‘I’m proud that I have come so far being who I am and didn’t give in’, Drago says. (Tamuna Chkareuli / OC Media)

Despite wide­spread homo­pho­bic attitudes through­out the Caucasus, there are some queer people who find accep­tance for who they are — from their co-workers, their friends, and their families. Below are the stories of three queer people, from Armenia, Azer­bai­jan, and Georgia. [Read more…]

Ad company pulls out of deal to display anti-homophobia posters in Tbilisi

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Inter­na­tion­al Day Against Homo­pho­bia, Trans­pho­bia, and Biphobia on 17 May 2017 in Tbilisi (Mari Nikuradze/OC Media)

An adver­tis­ing company that owns public ad spaces in central Tbilisi has refused to display anti-homo­pho­bia messages despite signing a contract with Georgian queer rights group the Equality Movement to do so, according to the group. [Read more…]

Activists occupy ‘historic’ building in Baku to prevent demolition

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The building is a former Molokan church (Leyli Gafarova)

Around 200 people have occupied a building in Baku’s Nasimi District to prevent it from being demol­ished. Activists say they will not leave the former Molokan church and site of Azerbaijan’s first radio station until it is included in the Ministry of Culture’s list of protected historic buildings. [Read more…]

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