See related documentsWritten declaration
No.
513
| Doc. 12912
| 25 April 2012
Freedom of expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons in Ukraine threatened
Signatories: Mr Håkon HAUGLI,
Norway, SOC ; Ms Najat ALASTAL,
Palestinian National Council ; Ms Karin ANDERSEN,
Norway, UEL ; Mr Lennart AXELSSON,
Sweden, SOC ; Ms Doris BARNETT,
Germany, SOC ; Mr Robert BIEDROŃ,
Poland, SOC ; Ms Sílvia Eloïsa BONET PEROT,
Andorra, SOC ; Mr Marek BOROWSKI,
Poland, NR ; Lord Tim BOSWELL,
United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Tor BREMER,
Norway, SOC ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN,
Norway, SOC ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS,
Latvia, SOC ; Mr Paolo CORSINI,
Italy, SOC ; Mr Gianni FARINA,
Italy, SOC ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO,
Croatia, SOC ; Ms Alena GAJDŮŠKOVÁ,
Czech Republic, SOC ; Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO,
Monaco, EPP/CD ; Ms Sylvi GRAHAM,
Norway, EPP/CD ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON,
Sweden, SOC ; Ms Carina HÄGG,
Sweden, SOC ; Ms Susanna HUOVINEN,
Finland, SOC ; Mr Dirk Van der MAELEN,
Belgium, SOC ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER,
Switzerland, SOC ; Sir Alan MEALE,
United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Sonja MIRAKOVSKA,
''The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia'', SOC ; Ms Carina OHLSSON,
Sweden, SOC ; Mr Ivan RAČAN,
Croatia, SOC ; Ms Mette REISSMANN,
Denmark, SOC ; Ms Marlene RUPPRECHT,
Germany, SOC ; Mr Ludo SANNEN,
Belgium, SOC ; Ms Ingjerd SCHOU,
Norway, EPP/CD ; Ms Anette TRETTEBERGSTUEN,
Norway, SOC ; Mr Nikolaj VILLUMSEN,
Denmark, UEL ; Ms Nataša VUČKOVIĆ,
Serbia, SOC ; Ms Karin S. WOLDSETH,
Norway, EDG
This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.A bill threatening freedom of expression entitled "Prohibition
of propaganda of homosexuality aimed at children" has been tabled
in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. It would prohibit such
"propaganda" during demonstrations, in the media and in schools,
with fines up to 700 times the minimum monthly wage or prison sentences
of up to 5 years.
Objective information is no danger to children. In Alexeyev v. Russia the European
Court of Human Rights commented: “There is no scientific evidence
or sociological data at the Court's disposal suggesting that the mere
mention of homosexuality, or open public debate about sexual minorities'
social status, would adversely affect children…”
Furthermore, Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5
recommends to member States that, "appropriate measures should be
taken … to promote tolerance and respect in schools … This should
include providing objective information with respect to sexual orientation
and gender identity …"
The bill tabled in Ukraine is an incitement to discrimination.
It has no rightful place in a Council of Europe member State. We
call upon the members of the Verkhovna Rada to reject it.