See related documentsWritten declaration
No.
474
| Doc. 12579
| 12 April 2011
Homophobic speech by members of Moldova’s parliament and intimidation of LGBT human rights defenders
Signatories: Mr Mogens JENSEN,
Denmark, SOC ; Mr Mörður ÁRNASON,
Iceland, SOC ; Mr Lennart AXELSSON,
Sweden, SOC ; Ms Doris BARNETT,
Germany, SOC ; Mr Tor BREMER,
Norway, SOC ; Mr Michael CONNARTY,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Viola von CRAMON-TAUBADEL,
Germany, SOC ; Mr Geraint DAVIES,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jim DOBBIN,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Tuur ELZINGA,
Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO,
Croatia, SOC ; Mr Paul FLYNN,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Pernille FRAHM,
Denmark, UEL ; Ms Carina HÄGG,
Sweden, SOC ; Mr Jim HOOD,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Andrej HUNKO,
Germany, UEL ; Mr Jean HUSS,
Luxembourg, SOC ; Mr Michael Aastrup JENSEN,
Denmark, ALDE ; Mr Mats JOHANSSON,
Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Jaakko LAAKSO,
Finland, UEL ; Mr Aleksei LOTMAN,
Estonia, UEL ; Ms Muriel MARLAND-MILITELLO,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Dragoljub MIĆUNOVIĆ,
Serbia, SOC ; Ms Ingela NYLUND WATZ,
Sweden, SOC ; Ms Maureen O'SULLIVAN,
Ireland, NR ; Mr John PRESCOTT,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Andreja RIHTER,
Slovenia, SOC ; Mr Indrek SAAR,
Estonia, SOC ; Mr Ludo SANNEN,
Belgium, SOC ; Mr Christoph STRÄSSER,
Germany, SOC ; Ms Tineke STRIK,
Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Björn von SYDOW,
Sweden, SOC ; Lord John E. TOMLINSON,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Nataša VUČKOVIĆ,
Serbia, SOC ; Ms Katrin WERNER,
Germany, UEL
This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.In Moldova a proposal for anti discrimination legislation
which includes protection on the grounds of sexual orientation has
been withdrawn following opposition in recent weeks by members of
parliament. This opposition has all too often been expressed in
language marked by homophobia and intolerance, for example, characterising
homosexuals as a danger to society, as trying to impose their “abnormal”
practices on others, and as a danger to the survival of the family
unit.
During this time two human rights defenders working for the
rights of LGBT people have experienced intimidation at the hands
of members of the public, with violent behavior and attacks on property.
We call upon all Moldovan members of parliament to accept,
in accordance with Recommendation No. R(97) 20 of the Committee
of Ministers to member states on “hate speech”, that they have
a particular responsibility to refrain from statements which are
likely to produce the effect of legitimising, spreading or promoting discrimination
or hatred based on intolerance, and to recognize particularly that
such speech can endanger the safety and well-being of others.