Foreign Affairs Minister visits LGL office

On Monday, September 17th, LGL welcomed the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Linas Linkevičius, at our office in Vilnius. Together with Donatas Butkus, director of the Human Rights Division of the United Nations, International Organizations and Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he expressed his solidarity with the LGBT community in the face of allegedly homophobic arson attacks.

The visit came in reaction to an arson attack on LGL office doors in the night of August 10th, which had set the exterior door and blinds on fire. International LGBT and human rights NGOs and advocacy groups like Amnesty International have expressed concerns over the possibly homophobic nature of the crime and appelled to Lithuanian authorities to investigate thoroughly.

The Minister showed himself concerned with the state of LGBT rights in Lithuania and stated that such events present the country in a negative light to an international audience. Furthermore, he emphasized a zero tolerance policy for violence and assured that  police would continue their investigations.

 

©  Augustas Didžgalvis