Musterbrief an den Justizminister
Remigijus Simasius

Musterbrief an den Litauischen Justizminister Remigijus Simasius

Remigijus Simasius
Minister of Justice
Gedimino Ave. 30/1
LT-01104, Vilnius
Republic of Lithuania

Fax.:+370 5 262 5940, 262 4732

Dear Minister

I write to you to express my deep concern about increasingly homophobic legislation in your country. Already on 14 July 2009 the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) adopted a new information law which vio-lates fundamental rights of gays and lesbians. Now, two more homophobic legislative amend-ments have been put forward for consideration during the Autumn session of the Seimas:

• one to the Penal Code (registered under number XIP-668(2)) and
• one to the Administrative Code (registered under number XIP-667(2)).

Both amendments regard the so called “promotion of homosexual relations in public places”.

The new articles would criminalize almost any public expression or portrayal of, or information about, homosexuality. The proposed Article in the Penal Code is so vague that it would permit the prosecu-tion of individuals for activities such as campaigning on human rights issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity rights or anyone providing sexual health information or services to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people.

If adopted, this legislation would violate a range of human rights, including the freedom of expression and association, the principle of non-discrimination, and the rights of the child. Amnesty International states that the organization would consider anyone imprisoned under this law to be a prisoner of con-science.

On this background, I call on you and on all responsible Lithuanian authorities

• To respect Lithuania’s obligations not to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity and to reject the proposed amendments to the Penal and Administrative Codes;
• To repeal the "Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Infor-mation", adopted in July 2009, and not to endorse any legislation that would criminalize, or otherwise prohibit, the public portrayal, expression or promotion of homosexuality, or any in-formation relating to it;
• To ensure that all persons in Lithuania, including children, fully enjoy the right to freedom of expression, and to provide adequate non-discriminatory information and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, including children.
• To ensure that human rights defenders working on issues of sexual orientation and gender-identity are able to carry out their work without the threat of criminal prosecution or other legal and administrative obstacles.

Yours sincerely

• Committee on Education, Science and Culture;
  Valentinas Stundys; Chairperson.
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• Committee on Human Rights,
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