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 of State will remain consistent in representing and defending human rights,” the Lithuanian Gay League said in a communiqué published on Friday.

“We hope that the President takes the necessary steps to annul chapters and veto laws that would promote discrimination, jeopardize safety of various groups of people and prevent equal opportunities,” the LGL statement further reads.

The authors of the document also say that German, French, the UK and the US leaders are also not going to Sochi due to human rights violations in Russia.

Russia recently enforced a law, envisaging penalties for persons propagating their LGBT sexual preferences.

President Grybauskaitė said back in December she will not go to Sochi. She said she does “not see a political possibility of going to the Sochi games,” Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius decided to go to the Winter Olympics out of respect to Lithuanian athletes.