Appeal for respecting the rights of gays and lesbians in Russia
30/05/2006
By
KPH & Lambda Warsaw
Warsaw, May 29, 2006
In the name of Campaign against Homophobia and Lambda Warsaw, associations advocating for the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transsexuals in Poland, we wish to express our firm protest against the events that took place in Moscow on Saturday, May 27, during an effort to stage the first gay and lesbian parade in Russia's history.
It saddens us greatly that this unfortunate incident happened at a time when Russia presides over the Council of Europe, whose judiciary brand is the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. We wish to state that gay and lesbian rights are human rights as every person has the right to dignity, intimacy, and freedom of opinion and beliefs. As a state that abandoned the traditions of the totalitarian state only in 1991, Russia should pay particular attention to respecting the rights of all of its citizens, including gays and lesbians.
Banning a peaceful demonstration that was supposed to draw attention to the problems of Russian homosexuals, using the militsiya and special services not to protect the demonstrators, but to arrest or beat them, are deplorable acts that deserve to be condemned by the international community.
Russia, as a member country of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is obliged to observe the fundamental human rights: freedom of gathering, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, or freedom of association.
We call on the Moscow authorities and the supreme authorities of the Russian Federation to observe the provisions of international agreements that Russia ratified. We call on President Vladimir Putin and Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov to observe the fundamental rights and civic freedoms of Russian gays and lesbians. As neighbors of the Russian Federation, we would like to see Russia as a country that is democratic, open, and pluralistic.
Board of the Campaign against Homophobia
Board of the Lambda Warsaw Association
Copies of this letter were sent to news media and:
Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Mr. Terry Davis
Avenue de l’Europe
67075 Strasbourg Cedex
France
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium,
Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Mr. Karel De Gucht
OSCE Office
Kaerntner Ring 5-7
1010 Vienna
Austria
The Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Poland
Mr. Vladimir Grinin
ul. Belwederska 25C
00-761 Warszawa
Poland
In the name of Campaign against Homophobia and Lambda Warsaw, associations advocating for the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transsexuals in Poland, we wish to express our firm protest against the events that took place in Moscow on Saturday, May 27, during an effort to stage the first gay and lesbian parade in Russia's history.
It saddens us greatly that this unfortunate incident happened at a time when Russia presides over the Council of Europe, whose judiciary brand is the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. We wish to state that gay and lesbian rights are human rights as every person has the right to dignity, intimacy, and freedom of opinion and beliefs. As a state that abandoned the traditions of the totalitarian state only in 1991, Russia should pay particular attention to respecting the rights of all of its citizens, including gays and lesbians.
Banning a peaceful demonstration that was supposed to draw attention to the problems of Russian homosexuals, using the militsiya and special services not to protect the demonstrators, but to arrest or beat them, are deplorable acts that deserve to be condemned by the international community.
Russia, as a member country of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is obliged to observe the fundamental human rights: freedom of gathering, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, or freedom of association.
We call on the Moscow authorities and the supreme authorities of the Russian Federation to observe the provisions of international agreements that Russia ratified. We call on President Vladimir Putin and Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov to observe the fundamental rights and civic freedoms of Russian gays and lesbians. As neighbors of the Russian Federation, we would like to see Russia as a country that is democratic, open, and pluralistic.
Board of the Campaign against Homophobia
Board of the Lambda Warsaw Association
Copies of this letter were sent to news media and:
Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Mr. Terry Davis
Avenue de l’Europe
67075 Strasbourg Cedex
France
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium,
Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Mr. Karel De Gucht
OSCE Office
Kaerntner Ring 5-7
1010 Vienna
Austria
The Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Poland
Mr. Vladimir Grinin
ul. Belwederska 25C
00-761 Warszawa
Poland
