Ban on Baltic Pride March is lifted by Riga Administrative Court
This morning Riga Administrative Court lifted a ban on the Baltic Pride March which was scheduled for tomorrow.
The City Council’s Committee on Meetings and Demonstrations initially allowed the March earlier this week and yesterday morning banned it. The Committee was pressurised by the members of the Riga City Council: 34 of 60 members of the Riga City Council signed a letter demanding the ban of the Baltic Pride March.
Representative of the Riga City Council this morning at the court could not provide clear justifications why the City has banned the March. She also confessed that this year there were no threats to report to the police.
The Court hearing was attended by the representatives of No Pride movement, Roman Catholic Church in Latvia and a religious sec New Generation. All three asked the Court to be allowed to participate in the hearing as interested parties. However the Court had rejected their requests.
ILGA-Europe is delighted about such outcome and congratulates the Latvian judicial system for yet another instance of defending the fundamental human rights in the country.
Bans on LGBT Pride Marches were lifted by the Latvian courts in 2005, 2005 and 2006.
ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board meeting is taking place in Riga this weekend. This year ILGA-Europe has established partnership with the Belgian Lesbian and Gay Pride to support the Baltic Pride. Last week ILGA-Europe and BLGL approached Freddy Thielemans, Mayor of Brussels, who recorded a video message to Janis Birks, Mayor of Riga, supporting the rights of peaceful assembly of LGBT people in the Baltics.
The Baltic Pride: http://www.balticpride.eu
The Belgian Lesbian and Gay Pride: http:///www.blgp.be
Brussels Mayor’s video message is available on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw_rQJ0uvDM
