Litauen (Lithuania): ParlamentarierInnen wollen Baltic Pride verbieten – über (Homo-)Sexualität darf öffentlich nicht mehr informiert werden.
HIER Unterschreiben! (April 2010)
Baltic Pride 2010 in Vilnius gerichtlich verboten (5. Mai 2010)
Vor kurzem verabschiedete das Litauische Parlament, Seimas, ein Informationsgesetz. Dieses vebietete praktisch jede öffentliche Äusserung über (Homo-)Sexualität. Die Entstehungsgeschichte des Gesetzte unter vielen internationalen Protesten wird durch alleine fünf Urgent Actions von Amnesty deutlich. In der allerletzten Version sind nun nicht mehr Informationen zu „Homosexualität“ verboten, sondern solche, welche „Familienwerte schlecht machen“. Amnesty International stuft das Gesetz klar als homophob ein ( siehe ganz unten, Pressemitteilung vom 26. 2. 2010, AI-Index PRE01/070/2010).
Nun unterschrieben mehr als 50 ParlamentarierInnen, auch viele Mitglieder der Regierungspartei, einen Brief an die Regierung, die Baltic Pride 2010 zu verbieten. Diese soll kommenden Mai in der litauischen Hauptstadt Vilnius stattfinden.
Amnesty International protestiert scharf gegen das angestrebte Verbot und verlangt, dass Meinungsäusserungsfreiheit auch in Litauen zu den Grundrechten gehört.
Litauen, 2007: Viliuns verbietet den „Gleichstellungsbus“ der ILGA. (November 2007, EUR53/003/2007)
Riga Pride 2008 (Lettland): Erst nach Protesten erlaubt.
Baltic Pride 2009 (Riga, Lettland) Zitterpartie bis zur letzten Minute.
Zur Entstehung des „Informationsgesetzes“ Rund ein Dutzende Beiträge, Informationen, Urgent Actions von Queeramnesty
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Amnesty International condemns MPs’ call
to ban the Baltic Pride
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, Public Statement (18 March 2010, AI Index: EUR 53/002/2010):
Lithuania: Amnesty International condemns MPs’ call to use recently adopted homophobic legislation to ban the Baltic Pride
Over 50 Lithuanian parliamentarians, including many from the two leading parties in the governing coalition, have signed a petition calling for the 2010 Baltic Pride march to be banned. The march is currently scheduled to take place in Vilnius on 8 May.
The organizers of the Baltic Pride received authorization for the march from the Vilnius City Council in January, but the signers of the petition are alleging that the march will violate the controversial Law on the Detrimental Effect of Public Information on Minors, which entered into force on 1 March this year.
The Law on the Detrimental Effect of Public Information on Minors classifies any information which “denigrates family values”, or which encourages a concept of marriage other than the union of a man and a woman, as detrimental to children and consequently bans such information from places accessible to them.
Amnesty International has repeatedly voiced its fears that this law would be used to restrict the freedom of expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and advocates for their rights.
The parliamentarians who have signed this petition have clearly exposed the homophobic motivation behind the adoption of the recent law and their intention that it should be used to stifle any public discussion of homosexuality or public expression of the identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people.
Amnesty International reiterates its call for the Law on the Detrimental Effect of Public Information on Minors to be revised so as to remove all possibility of its being applied in a manner that stigmatises or discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people or violates their rights to freedom of assembly and expression.
Amnesty International calls on the Lithuanian authorities and, in particular, the Vilnius City Council, to ensure that the Baltic Pride march takes place as planned and currently authorized, with all the necessary security arrangements to prevent disruption by possible counter-protesters.
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, Press Release (26 February 2010, AI Index: PRE01/070/2010):
Homophobic law to enter into force in Lithuania
Amnesty International calls on the authorities of Lithuania to remove all restrictions on the distribution of public information relating to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people decreed in a new law.
The controversial “Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information” enters into force next Monday, 1 March.
“This law will violate the freedom of expression and will directly discriminate against people on account of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said John Dalhuisen, expert on discrimination at Amnesty International.
“It will stigmatize gay and lesbian people and exposes advocates for their rights to the risk of censorship and financial penalties.”
“This law is an anachronism in the European Union.”
The law, as originally adopted on 14 July 2009, was criticized by Amnesty International and other international organizations, including the European Parliament, for containing homophobic and discriminatory provisions.
In its original version the law prohibited the publication of „information which agitates for homosexual, bisexual and polygamous relations“ in places, including schools, public spaces and media which are accessible to persons under 18 years of age.
In the light of international criticism and the misgivings of the Lithuanian President, the law was amended on 28 December 2010. All direct references to the promotion of homosexuality have been removed. However, the amended law now classifies any information which “denigrates family values” or which “encourages a concept of marriage and family other than stipulated in the Constitution … and the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania” as detrimental to children and consequently bans it from places accessible to them. As marriage is defined in Lithuanian law as the union of a man and a woman, any public promotion of same-sex partnerships, or advocacy for equality in marriage, would be prohibited under the new law.
“The Lithuanian authorities must not implement the law which discriminates against gay and lesbian people and restricts their freedom of expression,” John Dalhuisen said.
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