Doc. 11329

26 June 2007

Rising levels of homophobia in some member states

Written Declaration No 398

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it


In May a gay pride parade in Moscow (Russia) was, for the second year running, banned and broken up by the police. As in the previous year, some participants were the victims of violence, with the police reportedly sometimes slow to intervene.

      In April, for the third year in succession, the Mayor of Chisinau (Moldova) banned a peaceful demonstration by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons.

      In March, the Polish Government put forward proposals which would oblige schools to “protect students from contents which threaten their proper psychological and moral development”, including those which “violate the principles of the protection of marriage and family, including the propagation of homosexuality”.

      In May, Vilnius city council, in Lithuania, banned an EU-sponsored rally called “For diversity – against discrimination”, which aimed to promote tolerance towards minority groups, including gays and lesbians.

      The undersigned, gravely concerned at rising levels of homophobia in some member states, call upon all member states to uphold the rights of LGBT people in accordance with their obligations as members of the Council of Europe, and ask the Committee of Ministers to intensify actions to secure the rights of LGBT people.

Signed: 1

__________________________

Total = 32


1     SOC: Socialist Group
      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group