Warsaw, Poland – October 8, 2009–In Warsaw, Poland, during an important regional human rights conference, the U.S. State Department raised concerns for the first time over human rights violations directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Europe and North America. At the annual human rights meeting of the Organization for Security

We, the undersigned Members of the Swedish Parliament, are hereby writing to express our concern regarding the potential adoption, by your Parliament, of law that forbids information considering homosexuality and bisexuality. Full  text of letter is here.

August 31, 2009 Mr. Stasys Šedbaras, chairman of the Committee on Legal Affairs Dear Mr. Šedbaras: The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) would like to express our deep concern that the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code XIP-668(2) and the Administrative Code XIP-667(2) will violate the human rights to freedom of expression

The European Committee of Social Rights, which monitors state compliance with the European Social Charter, has today found that Croatia’s limited curriculum covering sex education discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation.  The Committee affirmed that the state has an obligation to ensure that educational materials do not reinforce demeaning stereotypes and perpetuate forms of

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE Resolution adopted on 22 June 2009 CONF/HR(2009)RES1 Call on the President of Lithuania not to sign the “Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information” because of its homophobic content. The Human Rights Committee of the Council of Europe INGO Conference, Gravely concerned at a growing climate

EUROPE: Lithuania Throttles Gay Rights By Pavol Stracansky BRATISLAVA, Jun 19 (IPS) – Rights groups are calling on EU leaders to act after Lithuanian lawmakers approved controversial legislation that they say makes homosexuals “second class citizens” and breaches European conventions on human rights. The legislation passed by Lithuania’s parliament this week bans the discussion of

The lack of respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is still an area for concern in Latvia and Lithuania. Amnesty International is concerned that in these countries, human rights including the rights to freedom of expression and assembly are not fully guaranteed. With this document,

European Parliament’s Intergroup on gay and lesbian rights urges the Parliament of Lithuania (Seimas) to stop the anti-democratic law amendments which would severely impair the freedom of speech of LGBT citizens. Lithuanian government has proposed to amend the law on protection of children and if passed, it will criminalise public information of any kind on

On 14 January the European Parliament adopted a report on the “Situation of fundamental rights in the European Union 2004-2008”, drafted by Italian MEP Giusto Catania. The report asks Member States and the European Institutions to adopt recommendations made by the Fundamental Rights Agency on homophobia as a matter of urgency. In addition, the Parliament

Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to be here. I would like to thank the French Minister of State for Human Rights, Ms Rama Yade, for co-hosting this event with us and for her inspiring words. The statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity that was [will be] delivered in the General Assembly

On 18 December 2008, in New York, the UN General Assembly was presented with a statement endorsed by 66 states from around the world calling for an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The statement, read out by the UN Representative for Argentina Jorge Arguello, condemns violence, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, stigmatisation,

Šarūnas Birutis, a member of European Parliament from Lithuania, outraged by photographs of gays at the European Parliament. He states that sexual minorities conduct ‘aggressive policy’. “Sexual minorities lobbyists are particularly actively working at the European Parliament with an aim of legalising child adoption by same-sex couples” a statement distributed by the Euro parliamentarian’s office