Shameful and retrograde decision from the City Council of Balti in Moldova
ILGA-Europe finds today’s adoption of the decision “On proclamation of the city of Balti zone of support for Moldovan Orthodox Church and inadmissibility of aggressive propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientations” by the City Council of Balti shameful and retrograde.
Print HTMLThe decision constitutes a clear violation of the country’s international and European human rights obligations to uphold freedom of expression and respect of minorities, including gay, lesbian and bisexual people. ILGA-Europe is thus deeply concerned about this development in Moldova, and will fully support the national LGBTI organisation, GENDERDOC-M, in order to try Balti City Council’s decision at the courts of Moldova for a breach of the national constitution.
ILGA-Europe wants to also draw attention to Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to Member States on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Recommendation states that “Member states should take appropriate measures to ensure, in accordance with Article 11 of the Convention, that the right to freedom of association can be effectively enjoyed without discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity; in particular, discriminatory administrative procedures, including excessive formalities for the registration and practical functioning of associations, should be prevented and removed; measures should also be taken to prevent the abuse of legal and administrative provisions, such as those related to restrictions based on public health, public morality and public order.”
ILGA-Europe therefore calls upon European Institutions to hold Moldova to account and address this breach of the rights of LGBT people to freedom of expression, and to publicly condemn such legislative developments in Moldova.
Read the press release from GENDERDOC-M for more information here
