Experts to see if LRT censorship is in line with the Lithuanian homophobic law

Lithuanian experts will examine whether the advertisement of the LGBT pride parade For Equality that the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) decided to restrict is in line with the Law on Protection of Minors against Detrimental Effects of Public Information.

Deividas Velkas, adviser to the inspector of journalist ethics, said an expert group will meet next month after receipt of LRT explanations earlier this week.

“The investigation is in progress and not over yet. It was only this week that we received explanations from the national broadcaster, so the meeting of the expert group should take place in early September to look into the main issue – are the videos and the information contained in them in line with the provisions of the Minor Protection Law,” Velkas told BNS on Tuesday.

Vladimir Simonko, a leading Lithuanian gay rights activist, said the decision created a dangerous precedent that could limit information on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual) people: “Europe was indignant at the Russian law but it appears that Lithuania has a similar law in effect,” Simonko told AFP on Monday.

Lithuanian Gay League dismissed the LRT decision as ungrounded. The organization said such videos do not promote any creation of family relations and show that there are people with alternative sexual orientations and sexual identities in Lithuania.

Co-funded by the French embassy and made by young French film director Francois Message, the two clips show local people speaking in favour of the parade.

Read more at delfi.lt and medindia.net