Written declaration No. 432 | Doc. 12052 | 30 September 2009

Lithuanian Parliament moves to criminalise the freedom of expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons

Signatories: Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Ms Tina ACKETOFT, Sweden ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jorodd ASPHJELL, Norway ; Ms Marie-Louise BEMELMANS-VIDEC, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Vidar BJØRNSTAD, Norway ; Ms Anna Maria CARLONI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway ; Ms Ann CLWYD, United Kingdom ; Mr Arcadio DÍAZ TEJERA, Spain, SOC ; Mr Tuur ELZINGA, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Gianni FARINA, Italy, SOC ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Paul FLYNN, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Per-Kristian FOSS, Norway ; Ms Pernille FRAHM, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Ms Gunn Karin GJUL, Norway ; Ms Ana GUŢU, Republic of Moldova, ALDE ; Ms Carina HÄGG, Sweden ; Mr Bjørn JACOBSEN, Norway ; Mr Michael Aastrup JENSEN, Denmark, ALDE ; Mr Morgan JOHANSSON, Sweden ; Ms Francine JOHN-CALAME, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Birgen KELEŞ, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Hakki KESKIN, Germany ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr József KOZMA, Hungary ; Mr Jaakko LAAKSO, Finland, UEL ; Mr Jean-Paul LECOQ, France, UEL ; Mr Paul LEMPENS, Netherlands ; Mr René van der LINDEN, Netherlands ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Andrew McINTOSH, United Kingdom ; Ms Assunta MELONI, San Marino, ALDE ; Mr Philippe MONFILS, Belgium ; Ms Lilja MÓSESDÓTTIR, Iceland, UEL ; Ms Christine MUTTONEN, Austria, SOC ; Mr Edward O'HARA, United Kingdom ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Pieter OMTZIGT, Netherlands ; Mr Jørgen POULSEN, Denmark, ALDE ; Mr Christos POURGOURIDES, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Ms Andreja RIHTER, Slovenia, SOC ; Mr Fidias SARIKAS, Cyprus, SOC ; Mr Leander SCHÄDLER, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD ; Ms Tineke STRIK, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Doris STUMP, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Lord John E. TOMLINSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Birutė VĖSAITĖ, Lithuania, SOC ; Mr Klaas de VRIES, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Betty WILLIAMS, United Kingdom ; Mr Wolfgang WODARG, Germany ; Ms Maryam YAZDANFAR, Sweden

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it

We, the undersigned members of the Assembly,

Note with deep concern that the Lithuanian Parliament:

• has adopted a law that bans material that “agitates” for homosexual and bisexual relations from schools or public places and media where they could be viewed by children (the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information), overruling a presidential veto;
• is now debating amendments to the Penal and Administrative Codes which would punish the “promotion of homosexual relations in public places” with community work, a fine or imprisonment;

Express shock that, if adopted, these amendments would potentially criminalise almost any public expression or portrayal of, or information about, homosexuality;

Emphasise that these provisions violate the European Convention on Human Rights;

Call upon the Lithuanian authorities to:

• respect their obligations not to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity;
• reject the proposed amendments to the Penal and Administrative Codes;
• repeal the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information.