Lithuanian Parliament to "improve" the ban of "gay propaganda"

On April 12, 2011, a majority of the members of the Committee on Legal Affairs of Lithuanian Parliament voted for the improvement of legislative amendment which seeks to establish harsh fines for the propagation of homosexual relations in the public. The author of the anti-gay law, MP Petras Grazulis now has unlimited time to come up with a new amended proposal which has to go under considerations in the parliamentary committees once again.

Vladimir Simonko, Chair of the national LGBT advocacy association LGL, reacted: This is a one more warning act of institutionalised homophobia which prevails among Lithuanian lawmakers. Such kind of legislative proposals are totally unacceptable in the context of the legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights which clearly prohibits any discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. We urge European Commission as the guardian of the Lisbon Treaty to intervene immediately.

Yesterday a group of Lithuanian parliamentarians has appealed to the heads of the Lithuanian Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and other confessions asking them to publicly encourage parliamentarians to approve the draft law currently being discussed in the Seimas regarding the establishment of administrative liability for propagating homosexual relationships.

According to the parliamentarians, the provisions of the draft law are in compliance with the overall position expressed by the heads of the Lithuanian Catholic, Russian Orthodox, and Evangelical Lutheran Churches.