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Amnesty concerned by banned gay rally in Lithuania

30 October 2007, 02:35PM

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Amnesty International is deeply concerned by recent attacks on the gay community in Vilnius, which saw the mayor ban a rally and a smoke bomb attack on a conference, and has called on the Lithuanian authorities to act.

The gays' rights rally was banned by the local mayor, Juozas Imbrasas, because of what she said were "safety concerns", due to building works over the original route. She failed to offer an alternative. Then later in the day, a conference organised by IGLA Europe, a gays' rights group based in Brussels, and attended by 200 individuals, was attacked by smoke bombs.

Amnesty International said: "Sadly these events are not a one off. Lithuania has repeatedly failed to protect and respect the rights of their gay community. To persecute people for their sexual orientation is to violate their fundamental human rights. Amnesty International calls on the Lithuanian authorities to respect the right to peaceful freedom of assembly for all, the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation and to actively promote respect for diversity in their country."

"The Lithuanian authorities also need to offer adequate police protection to the country's gay community."

Further information

Lithuania rebuked over gay rights

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