Written declaration No. 428 | Doc. 11969 | 23 June 2009

Lithuanian Law on the protection of minors restricts publication of information on homosexual and bisexual relations

Signatories: Ms Carina HÄGG, Sweden ; Lord Tim BOSWELL, United Kingdom, EDG ; Ms Ingrida CIRCENE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Ms Anna ČURDOVÁ, Czech Republic ; Mr Tuur ELZINGA, Netherlands, UEL ; Ms Pernille FRAHM, Denmark, UEL ; Baroness Anita GALE, United Kingdom ; Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Jean HUSS, Luxembourg, SOC ; Mr Željko IVANJI, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Michael Aastrup JENSEN, Denmark, ALDE ; Ms Francine JOHN-CALAME, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Corien W.A. JONKER, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Attila Béla-Ladislau KELEMEN, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Geert LAMBERT, Belgium ; Mr Paul LEMPENS, Netherlands ; Ms Sabine LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER, Germany, ALDE ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Philippe MONFILS, Belgium ; Ms Lilja MÓSESDÓTTIR, Iceland, UEL ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Zaruhi POSTANJYAN, Armenia ; Mr Janusz RACHOŃ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Ms Tatiana ROSOVÁ, Slovak Republic, EPP/CD ; Mr Fiorenzo STOLFI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Doris STUMP, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Klaas de VRIES, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Paul WILLE, Belgium

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

We, the undersigned members of the Assembly,

Note with concern the adoption by the Lithuanian Parliament of a law which:

• deems public information “agitating” for homosexual and bisexual relations detrimental to the “mental health, physical, intellectual or moral development of minors”;
• prohibits the publication of such information except in places or at times when such information would be inaccessible to minors,

Are shocked that such information has been classified with the promotion of drugs or suicide, and the portrayal of killings, mutilation or torture;

Believe that this legislation will serve only to perpetuate discrimination and intolerance and deny young lesbian, gay and bisexual persons access to information which they need in order to live in accordance with their sexual orientation;

Emphasise that these provisions violate both the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

Call upon:

• the President of Lithuania to refer the law back to the Parliament for revision in the light of Lithuania’s international human rights obligations;
• the Parliament of Lithuania to eliminate all discriminatory references to homosexual and bisexual relationships in this law.