Written declaration No. 559 | Doc. 13328 | 03 October 2013

Stigmatisation by the authorities leading to intensified violence and discrimination against LGBT people in Russia

Signatories: Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Ms Tina ACKETOFT, Sweden, ALDE ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Paride ANDREOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Lennart AXELSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Eka BESELIA, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Robert BIEDROŃ, Poland, SOC ; Mr Philippe BIES, France, SOC ; Ms Gülsün BİLGEHAN, Turkey, SOC ; Ms Delia BLANCO, Spain, SOC ; Ms Maryvonne BLONDIN, France, SOC ; Ms Sílvia Eloïsa BONET PEROT, Andorra, SOC ; Mr Marek BOROWSKI, Poland, SOC ; Ms Bernadette BOURZAI, France, SOC ; Mr Tor BREMER, Norway, SOC ; Mr Mikael CEDERBRATT, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway, SOC ; Mr Raphaël COMTE, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Michael CONNARTY, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Viola von CRAMON-TAUBADEL, Germany, SOC ; Mr David CRAUSBY, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Geraint DAVIES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Arcadio DÍAZ TEJERA, Spain, SOC ; Ms Josette DURRIEU, France, SOC ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Jean-Claude FRÉCON, France, SOC ; Mr Karl GARÐARSSON, Iceland, ALDE ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain, SOC ; Ms Carina HÄGG, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Håkon HAUGLI, Norway, SOC ; Mr Tedo JAPARIDZE, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Ögmundur JÓNASSON, Iceland, UEL ; Ms Deniza KARADJOVA, Bulgaria, SOC ; Ms Ulrika KARLSSON, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Charles KENNEDY, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Ertuğrul KÜRKÇÜ, Turkey, UEL ; Mr Pierre-Yves LE BORGN', France, SOC ; Ms Kerstin LUNDGREN, Sweden, ALDE ; Mr Dirk Van der MAELEN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Philippe MAHOUX, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Vesna MARJANOVIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jean-Pierre MICHEL, France, SOC ; Ms Melita MULIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Marietta de POURBAIX-LUNDIN, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Deborah SCHEMBRI, Malta, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Marina SCHUSTER, Germany, ALDE ; Ms Lorella STEFANELLI, San Marino, EPP/CD ; Mr Christoph STRÄSSER, Germany, SOC ; Lord John E. TOMLINSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Theodora TZAKRI, Greece, SOC ; Mr Nikolaj VILLUMSEN, Denmark, UEL

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

In June the Assembly deplored the approval by the Russian Duma of the law on so-called "Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors", and expressed concern at the earlier adoption of similar legislation in a number of Russian regions.

A draft law has now been tabled in the Duma which would deny LGBT parents custody of their own children.

There is evidence that this continuing stigmatisation of LGBT people as a threat to children is exacerbating an already serious situation regarding discrimination and violence against them. For example:

1. the St Petersburg "propaganda" law was used explicitly by one extremist group to justify attacking a peaceful demonstration;

2. hundreds of videos have been published online by homophobic vigilante groups showing individuals - including teenagers - being subjected to intense humiliation, often sexual in nature, and even to torture;

3. a recent report documents the dismissal of two LGBT teachers following pressure on their employers by aggressively homophobic organisations.

We call on the Russian authorities and politicians of all parties to stop stigmatising LGBT people, to withdraw homophobic legislation, and to adopt policies and laws promoting tolerance and human rights for all.