Lithuanian lawmakers will vote on ‘homosexual propaganda’ bill today

Lithuanian lawmakers will vote today on a bill that would outlaw gay pride parades, public speeches in support of LGBTI rights, gay rights campaign materials and audio-visual materials in support of the rights of LGBTI people. The bill would make such actions an administrative offense with fines of between $US400 to $US1200, and $US1200 to

Washington D.C. – Human Rights First today expressed serious concern over reports that the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) will vote tomorrow to approve an anti-“propaganda” law that violates the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. In an attempt to quickly and quietly push the legislation through, the proposed amendment, which emulates Russia’s

The General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people Robert Biedron has urged the Lithuanian Parliament to reject a change in the law which could impose administrative fines on those demonstrating publicly in support of LGBT rights, describing the proposed

The draft amendment to the Code of Administrative Violations, proposed by MP P. Gražulis, seeks to introduce administrative liability for any public defiance of the constitutionally established family values. According to this amendment, actions considered as defying traditional family values will result in administrative fine ranging from 1000 to 6000 LTL (300-1800 EUR). The draft

Chair of the Lithuanian Parliament Loreta Graužinienė and Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius presented the tasks for the spring session of the Parliament on Monday, March 10th. Four homophobic bills and amendments to the existing laws are scheduled for the session. At the spring session the parliamentarians will consider the amendment to the Code of Administrative

Despite the international pressure and concern, tomorrow (13 March) Lithuanian Parliament will vote on the draft amendment to the Code of Administrative Violations No. XIP-4490(3) which seeks to introduce administrative liability for any public defiance of the constitutionally established family values. According to the proposal, such actions as carrying out public speeches, demonstrating goods, posters,

Call for Solidarity – women bodies belong to women

The Lithuanian Parliament is currently deliberating the “Law on the protection of a life in a pre-natal phase” and accompanying legislative projects, otherwise known as the “abortion ban bill”. The Committee on Health Affairs has already approved the bill and those who initiated the law expect it will be passed by the Parliament in spring.

On the 20th of February the first National Equality and Diversity Awards 2013 took place at the State Small Theatre of Vilnius. Viktoras Diawara, a member of the band SKAMP, which was awarded for the openness to the multiculturality, stated: “We are living in a democratic state, where freedom of speech is sometimes misused… I

European Council is seeing discrimination of LGBT persons in Lithuania

On February 28th Robert Biedroń participated in a press conference at the Lithuanian parliament. R. Biedroń is the general rapporteur on the rights of LGBT people of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). He is a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and its Committee on Equality and

Despite opposition, Parliament takes stock of LGBT equality in new report

Today the European Parliament voted its annual report on fundamental rights in the European Union. The report includes an extensive overview of the situation for LGBT people, and recommendations to reach European equality standards laid down in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Among other recommendations, MEPs ask that Member States guarantee thefreedom of movement of same-sex couples, their

Image of M. Schulz used to promote homophobia in Lithuania

As the Lithuanian presidential elections and the European Parliament elections are approaching, ex-president of Lithuania Rolandas Paksas, who was impeached and removed on corruption charges in 2004, has started a misleading pre-election campaign. Not to mention the fact that R.Paksas’ electioneer address him as a President, trying to re-establish his political prestige and to veil

Lithuanian Gay League hails president’s boycott of Sochi Olympics

The Lithuanian Gay League has applauded President Dalia Grybauskaitė’s decision not to attend the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, expressing hope that the president would consistently defend human rights in Lithuania, as well. “The political step taken by President Grybauskaitė not to go to the Olympic Games in Russia gives us hope that the Head