Dream_River
16-06-2009, 18:45
Media release by Tolerant Youth Association (Lithuania)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vilnius, 16/06/2009. Today the Lithuanian Parliament has passed a legislation that bans any positive information, or “propaganda” as they call it, about homosexuals. The law is called “Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information” and Article 4 includes “propaganda of homosexuality” as one of the “Detrimental Effectors”.
67 out of 74 parliamentarians who checked-in for the voting voted in favour of the Law that will now prohibit any discussions regarding homosexuals at schools or in media that is accessible to children or teenagers. The passed amendment puts homosexuals into the same category with display of dead or cruelly mutilated body, information that causes fear or horror or encourages suicide.
Ridiculously, the Law may even prohibit popular books, such as Brothers Grimm and other fairy tales that contain cruel scenes. Unproven scientific facts, such as the String Theory or the Big Bang are not to be discussed at schools either until verified by scientists.
Even more, Petras Grazulis, a member of the Lithuanian Parliament, was trying not only to include homosexuals as a “Detrimental Effector” for the development of minors but also to remove the point where it says that information that taunts on the basis of sexual orientation has negative impact on minors. If this amendment was accepted, any information that is taunting, mocking and providing any negative information on homosexuals would not be considered as against the law while positive information about homosexuals, or 'propaganda' as the authors of the legislation call it, would be banned.
The latter Law is the peak of recent xenophobic outbursts in Lithuania. The last hope for the Lithuanian gays and lesbians is the President’s veto. Anyone willing to stand up for the fundamental Human Rights in Lithuania, please send your letters to the Personal Assistant of the President of Lithuania (bozena.krasovskaja@president.lt).
Notizia presa del sito ufficiale della sezione europea dell'ILGA
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vilnius, 16/06/2009. Today the Lithuanian Parliament has passed a legislation that bans any positive information, or “propaganda” as they call it, about homosexuals. The law is called “Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information” and Article 4 includes “propaganda of homosexuality” as one of the “Detrimental Effectors”.
67 out of 74 parliamentarians who checked-in for the voting voted in favour of the Law that will now prohibit any discussions regarding homosexuals at schools or in media that is accessible to children or teenagers. The passed amendment puts homosexuals into the same category with display of dead or cruelly mutilated body, information that causes fear or horror or encourages suicide.
Ridiculously, the Law may even prohibit popular books, such as Brothers Grimm and other fairy tales that contain cruel scenes. Unproven scientific facts, such as the String Theory or the Big Bang are not to be discussed at schools either until verified by scientists.
Even more, Petras Grazulis, a member of the Lithuanian Parliament, was trying not only to include homosexuals as a “Detrimental Effector” for the development of minors but also to remove the point where it says that information that taunts on the basis of sexual orientation has negative impact on minors. If this amendment was accepted, any information that is taunting, mocking and providing any negative information on homosexuals would not be considered as against the law while positive information about homosexuals, or 'propaganda' as the authors of the legislation call it, would be banned.
The latter Law is the peak of recent xenophobic outbursts in Lithuania. The last hope for the Lithuanian gays and lesbians is the President’s veto. Anyone willing to stand up for the fundamental Human Rights in Lithuania, please send your letters to the Personal Assistant of the President of Lithuania (bozena.krasovskaja@president.lt).
Notizia presa del sito ufficiale della sezione europea dell'ILGA