Victory for gay rights in Lithuania

Despite last minute attempts to stop Lithuania’s first LGBT Pride parade human rights activists from all around Europe made sure it went ahead.

Two days before Lithuania’s first ever march in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) the courts banned it. They said that the threat from counter demonstrators was too great and allowing the march to go ahead would be a threat to public order.

But the mayor and the police in the capital Vilnius, where the march was to take place, had already said they could guarantee the safety of the event. The marchers included a delegation from Amnesty International Ireland and 20 other Amnesty International sections.

Thousands of people emailed Lithuania’s president. People made phone calls and faxed the Lithuanian authorities. The president came out in support of the demonstration, saying people had the right to freedom of expression. Amnesty International Ireland members announced that they would hold an LGBT event outside the Lithuanian embassy in Dublin on the day of the march.

The day before the march the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court overturned the decision allowing the 2010 Baltic Pride event to go ahead.

“I would like to thank Amnesty International because you guys did a great job. I think you showed that your organisation can change things.” - Vladimir Simonko, Chair of the Lithuanian Gay League and lead organiser of the 2010 Baltic Pride.

LINK: Find out more about our campaign against LGBT discrimination
http://www.amnesty.ie:8080/our-work/lgbt-discrimination