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

Special Procedures Division c/o Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office of the United Nations in Geneva 8-14, Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland To the attention of: Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Special Rapporteur on the right

Grybauskaite promises to initiate revision of scandalous law

2009 07 27 VILNIUS – On July 20, the new Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, who was inaugurated to her post on July 12, met with European Union ambassadors residing in Lithuania and promised to make changes in the recently adopted Lithuanian “law on the protection of minors against the detrimental effect of public information.” The

Rights groups consider responses to Lithuanian anti-gay law

After Lithuanian lawmakers approved a bill to keep material deemed harmful away from children – including information about homosexuality – some EU parliamentarians and rights groups are considering what to do next. European members of parliament, including that body’s gay and lesbian working group, as well as human rights groups are weighing their options regarding

IPPF European Network: For immediate release

For immediate release, 14/7/2009 Outrage at the new law on the Protection of Minors and Public Information: this law is a risk to public health, an insult to human rights Many Lithuanians have been abandoned today. All the Lithuanians that believe in human rights and in a fair society have been left alone. Mental Health

Press release from the European Parliament´s Intergroup on LGBT rights 14 July 2009 For immediate release The European Parliament’s Intergroup on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights welcomed the election of the institution’s new president by urging him to condemn the adoption of a homophobic law in Lithuania. Today, the Lithuanian Parliament rejected the President’s

Press release by Lithuanian gay league (LGL) July 15, 2009 Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) welcomes decision by the Liberals Movement Political Group of Lithuanian Parliament to file and appeal with the Constitutional Court of Lithuania concerning the compliance of the adopted Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information with

Lithuanian parliament blasted over homophobic laws

VILNIUS – Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) has drawn harsh criticism from local and international human right groups for pushing through a set of controversial laws that are “flagrantly discriminatory” toward homosexuals. The laws, which override a previous presidential veto, put newly-elected President Dalia Grybauskaite in a difficult position during her very first week in Presidency by

Amnesty International condemns adoption of homophobic law in Lithuania

The Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament) voted today to adopt the controversial “Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information”.  The law was initially approved by the Seimas on 16 June but was vetoed by the Lithuanian President on 26 June.  With a majority of the 140 Seimas representatives required to overcome

Lithuania: Don’t Revive Censorship Law

Ban on Information About Sexual Orientation Would Endanger Youth (New York, July 13, 2009) – The Lithuanian parliament should not revive a proposed law that had been vetoed by the president, to ban references to gay, lesbian, and bisexual relations in public places, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the speaker of

LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT TAKES FURTHER STEPS TOWARDS THE CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY Press release by Lithuanian gay league (LGL) July 10, 2009 The Seimas, which earlier rejected amendments criminalizing propagation of homosexuality, this Thursday took another step in this direction. . The amendments will be returned to the assembly hall at autumn session after considering them by

On July 7 Aušra Rauličkytė, adviser to the President of the Republic of Lithuania, presented the presidential decree returning the proposed amendments to the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information (No. XIP-110Gr) to the Seimas for renewed consideration. The Seimas decided to consider the returned bill once again