They call those trans people “bigudzi” (hair curlers) in prisons. There is always a queue at their doors. Sometimes they are brought to the cells, but it is allowed to have sex with them exclusively in the toilets. Those do not have the right to enter the cell. Those can’t be kissed; only harsh sex is allowed.

The prices differ. Anal sex costs 20,000 drams, oral one – 15,000. If they want both, a discount is made – 30,000 drams. Age also matters; a young one costs more. Dressed female costs more.

In “Nubarashen” there was a trans, who was arguing and requiring a condom, but the staff wouldn’t give it. So, she would either have to buy one, or get one from the prison health care staff by exchanging for a cigarette. 

Former convict, “Nubarashen” PI

One of the most important “pragons” (common rule) is that criminals do not engage in any, even trade relations with homosexuals. Even if a normal person buys a cell phone from them, he can be disqualified and sent to their cell. Only “zeroes” (convicts who are considered inferior) and “abslug”-s (servants) can relate with them, as they don’t have a criminal status.

The system of the cells is organized the way that items, such as food, cigarettes and marihuana, can be transferred between any cells. That path is called a criminal path. Prisoners give the item to the “leg” (controller) and tell him to take it to this or that location. If there is a need for a floor transfer, they use a cord. The cells of homosexuals are excluded even from that criminal path.

Former detainee, “Nubarashen” PI 

Any individual entering the “zone” (prison), has to claim to be “so” (homosexual). He has to directly inform the staff. If without informing in advance, he enters a regular cell, and they find it out there, he might be beaten, smashed, crushed. If he doesn’t know these rules, and enters a normal cell, they send him off after 2-3 questions. If he keeps it in secret, and they find it out in the cell, they put him in a horrible condition. Any homosexual, who enters the prison, has to know his place. Otherwise, they’ll show him.

Former convict, “Nubarashen” PI 

“There are 4 cells for our “brigade” here. I can’t tell you the exact number. We’re around 11 people now. Everyone in the institution knows about those cells. They know about it even outside of the institution. The rooms for long and short visits are separated for us, too. We all have the label, the tag of homosexuals on our backs here.

We do unpaid work for 2 hours a day. All of us do it, regardless of being convicted or detained. We are being useful by cleaning. That’s why we are respected. We are not treated based on who we are. 

Homosexual prisoner, “Nubarashen” PI

We are around 10 people here in the “Hospital for the Convicted”; 5 people in the therapeutic department, 2 in the surgical department, and 5 in the pulmonological one (not everyone is ill). We sweep the territory here, clean the garbage, dig in the garden, and do mulching. In return, “palazhenie” (regulation) gives us cigarettes and food. We take our meal from the kitchen with our separate pots.

I was initially placed in “Nubarashen”. There is nothing remarkable there. The staff would say “We’ve received a gift – we’re bringing in an “arvamol” (addicted to males). Yet, the regime is soft here. They don’t “break” or humiliate us.

Homosexual prisoner, “Hospital for the Convicted” PI

More than 30 people stay in our cells currently. Our quarantine and punishment cells are also separate here. We are off the criminal world. That’s why we don’t pay to the “obshyak” (common fund of criminal community). We don’t touch anything in the kitchen - the tableware, or the bread. Our meal is not poured from the same place; our saucepan is separate. Our washing machine is separate, too. We can’t even shake hands with others. The others only take coffee or cigarettes from us, if the pack is not opened.

We use the library. There are classes of computer, pottery, Armenian language and literature, foreign languages here. But they do not involve us in. We are only involved in unpaid work. We make cleaning. In return, they treat us well. For example, they informally leave the doors of our cells open…

Homosexual prisoner, “Armavir” PI

There are currently around 100 women here. I’m the only “lesbianka” (lesbian). That’s how they call homosexual women here. At some point, I asked the head to separate me and my girlfriend from the others. We wanted to live in peace, without any conflicts. Plus, the rest would not say “we don’t feel well, when you hug your girlfriend”. Back then, the communication between the staff and convicts was frequent. They were drinking coffee together. Well, 90-95% of the staff is “geghatsi” (peasant, ref.-illiterate, impolite). They would gossip about us. But then the head made the order stricter. The staff doesn’t sit and talk with the convicts anymore. They don’t make unnecessary comments or touch us anymore.

 Lesbian prisoner, “Abovyan” PI

Some people are homosexual. And there are also some people who live under the name of a homosexual. This means that he has done something unacceptable in the prison, and for that has been sent to “that place” (detention cell for homosexuals). For example, he has stolen the sound money of the “obshyak”, has shaken hands or eaten with a homosexual. The criminals say, “If you want to communicate or share meal with homosexuals that much, go there.”

They can also in some way “spoil” a person. Not necessarily by raping. They can forcibly touch that person’s hand, butt or face with their sexual organ, and tell him, “That’s it, you’re spoiled, go there.”

The tag, the label of homosexual is already attached, and that person can do nothing. He’s in that “brigade” already. The term “homosexual” is completely different in the criminal world; it is a lifetime stigma.  

There was someone who was convicted for the first time. Before imprisonment, he had had sex with his wife in a non-classical way. He had talked about that naively in the prison and they told him “You’re like them (ref. – homosexuals), go their cells.” But he was not homosexual.

There was another one who had committed sexual assault against an invalid (ref. – having a disability) child. He was also thrown into the cell of homosexuals.

Another one was thrown there for committing matricide, and he became a homosexual during that time.

Former convict, “Nubarashen” PI 

A young man was brought in from Karabakh. He had been serving in the army. He was sentenced for a rape case during serving in the army. He was immediately placed with the homosexuals in the prison of Shushi. He didn’t know where he was put in. Then during the walk on the second day he noticed that they would look at him in a different way. After he found out, he started to shriek and cry... but it was already late. He was thrown in there... that was it.

Former convict, “Sevan” PI 

They do the dirtiest works; they clean the zone, the corridors, the walking ground, the room of parcels, the sewage, they pick up the cigarette butts, clean the garbage and carry it into the Sanitek garbage trucks.

For example, while bathing the shampoo may fall on the floor and paralyze the sewage channel. No one but they (ref. – homosexuals) would do it. They call those, give them around 1000-2000 drams, or 1000 drams and a cigarette, then they (ref. – homosexuals) roll up their sleeves, open up the sewage, get their money and leave. But homosexuals don’t clean others’ cells. Someone from that cell usually cleans there. Homosexuals can be told to clean the area in case of repairs or clean the bathroom. They (ref. – homosexuals) usually pick up the garbage from the cells.

After finishing their work, they come and stand in front of the “valchok” (peephole slot) to take 1000 drams, 2 packs of cigarettes or some food from the cells.

Once that rotten prison was “lost in dirt”, as their phones were confiscated, so they weren’t cleaning as a protest.

Those unpaid works ease up their everyday life. Well, it’s one of the game rules of that system. It's a public contract.

Former detainee, “Nubarashen” PI

They are not even allowed to enter the kitchen, get close to food or the parcels. They just do their job, that is – cleaning, which they get “paid” for.

In “Sevan”, there are 4 people sleeping in each “prakhod” (in Rusian slang, “pass”). There is usually a trash bin or two placed there. They come by each morning and empty the bins. Each “prakhod” pays them 500 drams per month. There can be 8 to 10 “prakhod”-s in each quarter. Cleaning of the toilet is paid separately – about 1000-2000 drams.

Former convict, “Sevan” PI