On 19 October 2010 the Seimas adopted the resolution ‘On the immunity of MP Petras Gražulis’ (draft No.XIP-2520) (votes: for—56, against—35, abstained—12) and the resolution ‘On the immunity of  MP Kazimieras Uoka’ (draft No.XIP-2521) (votes: for—58, against—30, abstained—10).With these legal regulations, the Seimas—following Article 62(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and Articles

New anti-gay law proposal registered in Lithuanian parliament

On October 19th, the notorious legislative amendments to Lithuania’s Administrative and Penal Codes which would criminalize the promotion of homosexual relations in public places were withdrawn by their initiator, Member of Parliament (Seimas), Petras Grazulis.  However, they were immediately replaced by MP Grazulis with updated version of the amendment to Administrative Code.   MP Petras Grazulis submitted a

Belgian documentary addresses discrimination of Baltic gay community

‘Two prides, two worlds… one Europe?’, the latest documentary by Roland Javornik, has been selected for Ad Hoc: Inconvenient Films, the national film festival of Lithuania that takes place in Vilnius from the 21st until the 30th of October. Afterwards, the movie will also be shown in other cities across the country. The documentary focuses

Vilnius, LITHUANIA, 8 October 2010 In his homophobic speech delivered to the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) on 28 September 2010, member of Parliament Petras Gražulis declared that LGBT individuals are “unhappy people, who have a degeneration of one type or another,” saying that “our children are being mutilated” by the presence of homosexuality within Lithuania.  Gražulis,

Civil Society applauds as 63 nations sign on to landmark human rights resolution

1 October 2010. Johannesburg. Sixty-three countries have sponsored a landmark United Nations-backed human rights resolution on “the Rights of Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association”, drawing to an end a hard-fought campaign by civil society groups, including the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), Article 19, World Movement for Democracy, and CIVICUS: World Alliance for

Lithuanian Parliament: ready to adopt anti-gay law proposals till the end of the year?

Vilnius, LITHUANIA, 23 September 2010 Today, the Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) adopted its autumn agenda, preparing to debate and come to a final decision regarding the legislative amendments which would criminalize the “promotion of homosexual relations in public places.” These amendments have the potential to go into effect as early as December 2010. “Any move by

New EU gender equality strategy

STRASBOURG, 22 September 2010 — Yesterday European Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Viviane Reding presented the 2010-2015 Strategy for equality between women and men in the European Union. The European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights welcomes the inclusion of gender identity in EU gender equality efforts. In June 2010, the European Parliament called on the Commission

ECJ: Advocate General Asks for Equal Treatment of Same-Sex Couples in All Member States

ILGA-Europe (the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Organisation ILGA) has brought a landmark case before the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ). In Jürgen Römer vs. City of Hamburg the Advocate General asks the Court to decide that same-sex couples must have access to employment benefits for married couples in

Largest international study on sexual health issues conducted in Europe

European MSM Internet survey (EMIS) on knowledge, attitudes and behavior as to HIV and STIs has started in June 2010 and ran for three months. It was promoted online and offline through media for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). As of August 18, 2010, the questionnaire has been completed

Today the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgement in a case of P.B. and J.S. v. Austria. The Court said Austria violated the European Convention on Human Rights by excluding same-sex partners from insurance cover and once again affirmed same-sex partnership constitute ‘family life’ under the Convention. The Court decided by five votes

Paedophilia and homosexuality are linked, say right-wing MEPs

2010 07 01 PRESS RELEASE By The European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights BRUSSELS, 1 July 2010 — At today’s parliamentary hearing on the sexual abuse of children, organised in the European Parliament by the European People’s Party (EPP), individual right-wing MEPs expressed the view that paedophilia was connected to homosexuality. Vytautas Landsbergis, EPP Member

MEDIA RELEASE By ILGA-Europe Today the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgement in the case of Schalk and Kopf v. Austria and ruled that Austria did not breach Article 12 (right to marry) by not allowing a same-sex couple to marry. Nevertheless, three out of the seven judges were of the opinion that