This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.
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.
