Each year 17th of May is commemorated as an International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) in order to raise awareness of the LGBT* issues worldwide.
This year the occasion inspired the members of the European Parliament to take action and issue a resolution regarding the gross violation of human rights in Chechnya, where more than 100 gay men had been jailed as part of a coordinated government campaign. Abducted victims had been tortured and forced to reveal identities of other LGBT* persons. It was reported that numbers of gay men had been killed.
European Commission and the Council members stated that they are standing by the LGBT* guidelines that had been implemented in 2013 to defend the universality of human rights and to make sure that no cultural, traditional or religious values would stand in their way to justify any form of discrimination, including discrimination against LGBT* people.
National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL is very grateful for this clear and substantial message supporting the LGBT* human rights from the members of the European Parliament. “It is of great importance for us and the whole LGBT* community that the European Parliament issued this resolution in support of the LGBT* human rights,“ commented Vladimir Simonko, LGL‘s Executive Director. He also stressed how essential it is for Chechen and Russian authorities to end the imprisonment and continuous ill-treatment of gay men, adding, that independent investigation must be conducted in consequence of this unlawful persecution.
