Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples’ human rights were not respected. Several LGBT events were cancelled in a discriminatory manner and parliament discussed banning information which would put homosexuality in a positive light to minors. On 21 May, the mayor of Vilnius, Juozas Imbrasas, refused permission for a European Union (EU) sponsored anti-discrimination truck

Human Rights Puzzles: LGBT People in Lithuania

Artūras Tereškinas A foreign observer visiting Lithuania would be puzzled: on March 11, 2008, Lithuanian neo-Nazis marched the streets of Vilnius with no official permit or interruption from the police, shouting xenophobic and anti-Semitic slogans. Yet other social groups, most notably gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT), have not had this freedom. The Council of

A Media for Diversity

An initiative of LGL, this publication is based on a desire to change the way LGBT is often presented in the media. A pilot initiative with the potential to grow, it constitutes a toolkit for LGBT activists and media professionals alike, on how to work with each other in the best possible way. The fundamental

Lithuanian Government respond to CoE on gay rights

Any peaceful demonstrations, including those of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals, cannot be prohibited just because some people are hostile to their rights. The state’s responsibility is to guarantee that all legally organized demonstrations are peaceful, Lietuvos rytas daily reported. These were the sentiments expressed by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg

Mayor of Vilnius J. Imbrasas says he is not ready to support gays yet

As reported by DEFLI.ee based on Eesti Ekspress information, a group of mayors joined the address, in which the support for the sexual minorities’ right to hold meetings and self-expression was expressed. As many as fifteen cities signed the address, including the mayors of Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Barcelona. J. Imbrasas said he had

Project partners participate in the European study on homophobia

The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and the international consultancy company COWI are responsible for conducting the study which result will be a comprehensive, comparative report on the current situation regarding homophobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in the 27 EU Member States. The study is commissioned by the European Union Agency

The first European conference on Multiple Discrimination was held in Elsinore, Denmark on 6-7 December 2007. The conference brought together over 100 participants representing Ministry officials, representatives of the National Equality Bodies, Social Partners, NGOs and experts working in the field of anti-discrimination. All participants took active part in the plenary discussions and roundtable sessions.

Gays and lesbians constantly experience threat in Lithuania

Representatives of sexual minorities feel unsafe in Lithuania, because being a gay or lesbian in this country means living under continuous risk to your health and even life. This disturbing news reached the world yesterday when participants of the Annual Conference of the European Branch of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) held in

Legal analysis and evaluation of Vilnius City Municipality Administration’s refusal to issue the Lithuanian Gay League permission to hold the We Are for All Colours of the Rainbow public event Background On October 4 of this year, public organisation Lithuanian Gay League submitted a notification to Vilnius City Municipality regarding organisation of the We Are

Gay conference held despite hostile reception

The International Lesbian and Gay Association held its 11th annual European conference in Vilnius Oct 24-28 despite a hostile reception that included negative statements by city officials, a ban on its flag raising event, and anti-gay demonstration and a smoke bomb attack. More than 250 delegates from 38 European countries came to the event to

Amnesty International is concerned that Lithuania is failing to respect the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. On 24 October, the city council of the capital, Vilnius, refused to grant permission for a 30 metre rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBT rights

Nearly half of Brits face discrimination

Research conducted for the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) indicates that 46 percent of Brits believe they have faced some form of discrimination. The new commission, which incorporates the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission, is being launched today. Its Chair, Trevor Phillips, said: “We live