Upcoming Intergroup event: “Anti-propaganda laws”, the new criminalisation of homosexuality

Next week the LGBT Intergroup will host a seminar on new laws criminalising the discussion of LGBT rights in Eastern European countries, such as Russia and Ukraine.

Since 2006, Eastern Europe has seen an increase in legislative attempts to limit freedom of expression, and outlaw “gay propaganda”—a term rarely defined, used to include any expression of support for the human rights of LGBT people.

Fines and prison terms are or were foreseen by laws or bills in Lithuania, Hungary, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia. They not only contravene European and UN human rights standards, but also bring about increasing discrimination and violence against LGBT persons.

This event will discuss this worrying trend, its sources and characteristics, how it sits with international human rights law, and how European institutions should respond.

The seminar is open to the public, but places are limited. Register online (before Friday 31 May at noon) for an access badge.

Speakers include Stavros Lambrinidis (EU Special Representative for Human Rights), Dmitri Bartenev (International Commission of Jurists), Werner Schulz MEP (Vice-Chair of the European Parliament delegation to Russia), Andrew Smith (ARTICLE 19), Evelyne Paradis (ILGA-Europe), Anastasia Smirnova (Russian LGBT Network), and Stanislav Mishchenko (Ukrainian Council of LGBT Organizations).