European Court Upholds UK Ban On Anti-Gay Religious Discrimination

Via The European Parliament’s Intergroup On LGBT Rights:

Today the European Court of Human Rights ruled that religious beliefs may not justify opposing the rights of same-sex couples. British laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation were upheld.
The Strasbourg court examined four cases brought by Christians, including two who argued their beliefs allowed them to refuse a service to same-sex couples.
In the first case, Lillian Ladele was a civil registrar in London. She was dismissed because she refused officiating at civil partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples after it became legal in 2005. She claimed she was discriminated because of her faith.
The Court ruled there had been no discrimination, and that British courts—who upheld her dismissal—had struck the right balance between her right to freedom of religion, and same-sex couples’ right not to be discriminated.
In the second case, Gary McFarlane was a counsellor providing psycho-sexual therapy to couples. He was dismissed for refusing to work with same-sex couples, arguing this was incompatible with his beliefs. The Court ruled unanimously that there had been no violation of his right to freedom of belief.
Commenting this landmark ruling, Sophie in ‘t Veld MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament’s LGBT Intergroup, said: “With this ruling, the court has established that freedom of religion is an individual right. It is emphatically not a collective right to discriminate against LGBT people, women, or people of another faith or life stance.”
“Religious freedom is no ground for exemption from the law. The court showed conclusively that the principle of equality and equal treatment cannot be circumvented with a simple reference to religion.”
Michael Cashman MEP, Co-President of the LGBT Intergroup, added: “British law rightly protect LGBT people from discrimination, and there is no exemption for religious believers. Religion and belief are deeply private and personal, and should never be used to diminish the rights of others.”
The ruling may be appealed within three months.

Nobel Peace Prize 2012 Goes To The European Union

The Huffington Post reports:

The European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for its efforts to promote peace and democracy in Europe – an award given even though the bloc is struggling with its biggest crisis since it was created in the 1950s.
The Norwegian prize committee said the EU was being honored for six decades of contributions “to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.”
“The stabilizing part played by the European Union has helped to transform a once-torn Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace,” Nobel committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said.
The EU grew out of the tremendous devastation of World War II, fueled by the conviction that ever-closer economic ties would make sure that century-old enemies never turned on each other again. It’s now made up of 500 million people in 27 nations, with other nations lined up, waiting to join.
But the European project is now facing its greatest challenge yet – a debt crisis that has stirred deep tensions between north and south, caused unemployment to soar across the bloc and is threatening the euro, the common currency used by 17 of its members.
Social media exploded with strong reactions Friday, both for and against, awarding the prize – worth 8 million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million).
“The EU is an unique project that replaced war with peace, hate with solidarity. Overwhelming emotion for awarding of (hash)Nobel prize to EU,” Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, wrote in a tweet.
“Nobel prize for the EU. At a time Brussels and all of Europe is collapsing in misery. What next? An Oscar for Van Rompuy?” said Dutch euro-skeptic lawmaker Geert Wilders, referring to Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council.
The idea of a united Europe began to take on a more defined shape when, on May 9, 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed that France and the Federal Republic of Germany pool their coal and steel resources in a new organization that other European countries could join.
“Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners,” the committee said.
The citation also noted the democratic conditions the EU has demanded of all those nations waiting to join, referred to Greece and Spain when they joined the 1980 after dictatorships, and to the countries in Eastern Europe who sought EU membership after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall.
“The EU is currently undergoing grave economic difficulties and considerable social unrest,” Jagland said. “The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to focus on what it sees as the EU’s most important result: the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights.
It was not yet clear who would accept the prize for the EU.
The EU has been seen as possible candidate for the Nobel for many years, and the members of the committee had previously praised the community’s significance as a promoter of peace and democracy in Europe. The chairman, Jagland, is also the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, a human rights group.
But skepticism against the EU runs high in oil-rich Norway, which is not a member and where popular opinion is firmly against membership. Norwegian voters rejected joining the EU twice, in 1972 and 1994.
Over time, the EU has grown from six countries to 27, absorbing countries in Eastern Europe as they emerged from decades under communist rule.
The EU’s success in making war between Germany and France unthinkable is beyond dispute. On the contrary, those two countries these days tend to be the EU’s dominant players, with the French president and the German chancellor often getting together to, in effect, hash out EU policy. Britain has always been a half-hearted member since joining in the 1970s, and is not part of the 17-nation eurozone which shares a common currency.
While there have never been wars inside EU territory, the confederation has not been able to prevent European wars outside its borders. When the deadly Balkans wars erupted in the 1990s, the EU was unable by itself to stop them. It was only with the help of the United States and after over 100,000 lives were lost was peace eventually restored in Bosnia and Kosovo.

European Court Of Human Rights To Hear Life Tariff Appeal For Killer Of Gay Men 

Pink News UK reports:

European judges will hear an appeal from three British murderers, including one who killed four gay men, that the ‘life tariffs’ on which they are imprisoned violate their human rights.
In January of this year, judges at the European Court of Human Rights had ruled there was violation of Article 3, the prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment, in detaining the men indefinitely.
Peter Moore was sentenced in 1995 for the murder of four gay men, allegedly for his own sexual gratification. He was incarcerated on a ‘whole life tariff’, meaning he would never be freed.
In 2009, Moore joined Jeremy Bamber, who killed his wealthy family, and Douglas Vinter, who murdered his wife, in a European appeal against the system.
While January’s ruling confirmed such a life sentence did not violate their human rights and was not “grossly disproportionate”, a panel of judges will now hear an appeal.
A panel of five judges has granted the bid for another hearing from Vinter, who killed his wife in 2008. Vinter had served 9 years in prison for the murder of a colleague before being released three years before his return to prison.
The case, along with that of Moore and Bamber, is to be heard in Strasbourg on 28 November this year by the Grand Chamber and will determine the legality of such whole life sentences under human rights law.

European Union: You Must Respect LGBT Rights If You Want To Be An EU Member

Joe.My.God. reports:

The European Commission has issued a statement declaring that prospective member nations of the European Union must honor LGBT rights for admittance.

“Rights of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people thus form an integral part of both the Copenhagen political criteria for accession and the EU legal framework on combatting discrimination. They are closely monitored by the EU commission, which reports annually on the progress made by enlargement countries with regard to the situation of the LGBT community,” it said. The commission note was sent to EUobserver in response to a question born of an interview with an Armenian cleric. Armenia, a deeply Christian country where church teaching has more authority than in many EU states with Christian roots, is keen to become an EU member. Homosexuality is not against the law. But according to a recent study by the Brussels-based rights group Ilga-Europe, it scores better only than Moldova and Russia in terms of legal protection of LGBT people in Europe.

Currently the recognized candidates for EU admittance are Iceland, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey. Croatia has been approved to join in July 2013. Albania has applied, but has not been officially recognized as a candidate nation.

It should be noted that while homosexuality itself may not be illegal in some of the more recently admitted EU member nations, living as an openly LGBT person remains difficult and dangerous for many. The International Gay & Lesbian Association recently ranked the nations of Europe in 42 categories ranging from persecution-based asylum requests to full marriage equality. As you can see from the map below, many existing EU member nations scored very poorly. The EU needs to do some in-house cleaning in addition to placing demands on candidate nations. (A larger version of the below map is available for download as a PDF at the above link.)RELATED: Some economists are predicting at least a partial dissolution of the existing European Union due to the ongoing global debt crisis.

European Parliament Condemns Violence Agaisnt Lesbians In Africa

Pink News UK reports:

The European Parliament yesterday adopted a resolution on violence against lesbian women and gay and transgender rights more generally in Africa.
MEPs acted in response to increasing reports of arrests and violence against LGBTI people, and particularly lesbian women, on the continent.
Recently, there has been increasing reports of arrests of lesbian women in Cameroon. They remain regular victims of ‘corrective’ rape and murders in South Africa, and other countries, such as Liberia and Malawi, see legal and social conditions worsen for lesbian women.
The Parliament notes the situation is worsening in countries such as Uganda and Nigeria, but potentially improving in Malawi, where newly appointed president Joyce Banda aims to decriminalise homosexuality, and in Swaziland, where HIV/AIDS prevention efforts are ongoing despite strong legal threats.
The debate in the European Parliament was reportedly widely supportive of the rights of LGBTI people, especially lesbian women, with strong speeches by Members of the European Parliament and by European Commissioner Connie Hedegaard.
Despite support from the centre-right MEPs Eija-Riitta Korhola (EPP, Finland) and Edit Bauer (EPP, Slovakia), the EPP Parliamentary group withdrew its support from the draft resolution before the debate. Voting against the resolution, conservative MEP Bernd Posselt said he was not in favour of mixing criticism of violence with non-discrimination.
Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co-president of the European Parliament’s LGBT Intergroup, said: ”I find it utterly shocking that the EPP group withdrew their support from a resolution they had previously agreed to. Why can they not condemn the raping of lesbian women and killings of LGBTI people? Their opposition makes no sense.”
“But I remain convinced the Parliament will stay committed for the years to come, as it has been since 1993, to the human rights of LGBTI people.”
Sophie in ‘t Veld MEP, Vice-President of the LGBT Intergroup, added: “Despite the ugly opposition of center-right MEPs to this resolution, I’m proud to say that once more, the European Parliament expressed its strong commitment to peace and equality. No amount of discussions, resolutions or speeches will do justice to the lives of danger a lot of women and LGBTI people face in countries around the world. While we keep pushing for equality here in Europe, we also stand in solidarity with minorities around the world.”
Liberal Democrat MEP for London Sarah Ludford said: “The EU has a responsibility to promote human rights of gay and lesbian people beyond its borders as well as within. We cannot offer trade and development cooperation while turning a blind eye to ‘corrective rapes’, imprisonment and death for not being heterosexual or just for being female. The EU must be proactive under its new human rights strategy in supporting African LGBT organisations and insisting on respect for non-discrimination in association agreements.”
Conservative Marina Yannakoudakis MEP said: “Recent developments in Cameroon made me realise that we needed to stand up for the rights of LGBTI people in Africa. Lesbian women are particularly at threat from violence and rape when their sexual orientation is revealed and I and other members of the European Parliament’s women’s rights committee have been concerned by the worsening situation.”
Ms Yannakoudakis told the Parliament the story of a lesbian woman in Uganda whose father turned her in to the police when he discovered she was gay.
She described brutal beatings and rape at the hands of the police, giving birth to a stillborn child in her prison cell. Ms Yannakoudakis said the woman had escaped to London in 2006, but suffered permanent hearing loss from the beatings.
She said: “I have been told that this is very typical of lesbians who flee persecution from some African countries. I hope that this resolution can help affect real change in these countries, so that men and women no longer have to suffer for their sexual orientation.
“As London looks forward to celebrating World Pride this weekend, I am proud as a London MEP to have stood up for the rights of LGBTI people the world over who are under the threat of oppression.”
Erin Power, Executive Director of the UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group (ULGG) said of the resolution: “UKLGIG welcomes the European Parliament’s recognition of the precarious situation of LGBTI people, especially women, in some African countries.
“We particularly endorse the acknowledgement that those groups working in-country are best placed to understand how to bring about change and the proposal to both consult and offer support to these groups.”

European Union: Parliament Denounces Nations With Anti-LGBT Legislation

Pink News UK reports:

The European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning anti-gay laws in Europe last week, specifically calling on Russia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania as well as Ukraine to address existing and draft legislation and ‘demonstrate, and ensure respect for, the principle of non-discrimination’.
The resolution was adopted with 430 in favour and 105 against, saying it was “gravely concerned by developments which restrict freedom of expression and assembly on the basis of misconceptions about homosexuality and transgenderism”.
It added that EU Member States should be “exemplary in the application and protection of fundamental rights in Europe”.
14 Conservative MEPs voted in favour of the resolution with 12 either abstaining or being unable to vote. 9 Labour MEPs voted in favour of the move with 3 abstaining or unable to vote. All but two absent Liberal Democrat MEPs voted for the resolution.
The resolution specifically addressed laws in several European countries, condemning laws against ill-defined ‘propaganda’.
The Parliament was concerned that in Russia “criminal and administrative laws against the ‘propaganda of homosexuality’ were enacted in the regions of Ryazan in 2006, Arkhangelsk in 2011, and Kostroma and Saint Petersburg in 2012, and the regions of Novosibirsk, Samara, Kirov, Krasnoyarsk and Kaliningrad are currently considering such laws”.
In Ukraine, the Parliament is “examining two draft laws put forward in 2011 and 2012 which would make it an offence to ‘spread homosexuality’, including by ‘holding meetings, parades, actions, demonstrations and mass events aiming at intentional distribution of any positive information about homosexuality’ and provide for fines and up to five years’ imprisonment”.
The resolution drew attention to Moldova’s recent laws prohibiting the ‘aggressive propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientations’ and, in one city, ‘Muslim activity’.
In Latvia a draft law was tabled to combat ‘gay propaganda’ and in Lithuania the legality of promoting the acceptance of homosexuality remains unclear.
Labour MEP Michael Cashman had condemned the Tories’ European Conservatives and Reformists group for not co-signing the resolution last week accusing them of holding “Neanderthal” opinions, but acknowledged their support for the resolution in the subsequent vote.
Michael Cashman MEP, who is also Co-President of the Intergroup, added: ”Homophobia, lesbophobia and transphobia are still a cruel reality for too many in Europe.
“We must take action now: the anti-discrimination Directive, the Framework Decision on hate crimes, the recognition of civil status documents and their effects… these are tangible measures we can take within the next two years. We hope Viviane Reding and the Council will show all the good will they promised in this debate.”
Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co-President of the LGBT Intergroup in the European Parliament, commented: ”Such a huge support from across political groups shows that homophobes are losing their ground in Europe.
“Politicians in Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine and Moldova should take note: all political families in Europe find it unacceptable to limit freedom of expression as they do. We will not rest until these laws are repealed, and LGBT people in these countries can live without fear.”
Speaking on behalf of the ECR group, to which the Tories belong in Europe, Timothy Kirkhope told the resolution’s plenary debate: “As George Weinberg once said: the roots of homophobia are fear, fear and more fear. As people begin to fear for their economic security it is important that we do not allow those fears to grow and manifest themselves in discrimination or in the dehumanisation of any group of people.
“Our progress towards building a more tolerant society should not be allowed to go into reverse gear. Of course, we all have different views as to what role the EU can play. Personally, I believe that the EU has a limited role in social policy, but it is a stark reality that some European nations have moved faster towards equality. And let us not forget that many started their journey a long time after others.
“However, I believe that it is important that we stand united today to say that it is a fundamental value of our continent that all people deserve humanity, dignity, personhood and rights, regardless of their sexual orientation.”
Sarah Ludford, Vice President of UK Liberal Democrats’ LGBT+, said: “It is absolutely shocking that blatant homophobia persists in EU countries as well as in the wider Europe, and that LGBT people are dying through hate crimes despite the professed commitment to European human rights standards. A culture of homophobic intolerance driven by fear has no place in modern Europe.
“While we look forward to World Pride in London, Riga’s Baltic Pride is threatened with cancellation and Budapest Pride only just survived an attempted police ban. Laws against homosexual ‘promotion’ or ‘propaganda’ interfere outrageously with free speech.
“I look forward to strong support for this resolution from centre-right MEPs. Progress based on cross-party agreement can be rapid, as the UK has shown. We have a Tory Prime Minister who once backed ‘section 28′ and who now supports LibDem plans for equal marriage, helping make the UK top in Europe for LGBT human rights.”

European Leaders: It Gets Better

European Union: Potential New Member States Told To Improve Gay & Trans Laws

Pink News UK reports:

Last week, the European Parliament adopted its annual enlargement progress reports for Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. All the resolutions recommended greater protection for gay, bi and transgender citizens in the potential new member states.
Turkey, Serbia and Montenegro are official candidates to join the EU, and Kosovo is currently considered a potential candidate.
Turkey is still being urged “to ensure that equality, regardless of gender, gender identity, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, is guaranteed by the law and effectively enforced, including respect by the police”.
The Parliament also asked that homophobia and transphobia be included in hate crime law, condemned prosecutions against LGBT people and asked that Turkish Armed Forces cease to classify homosexuality as a ‘psychosexual illness’.
The resolution on Serbia includes extensive references to LGBT rights. Notably, the Parliament expresses serious concern about “the lack of political will […] to ensure the safety of the participants of the Pride Parade” in 2011 which was cancelled by police.
It also “strongly condemns inflammatory and discriminatory remarks on the topic by some politicians and members of the Orthodox clergy.”
Jelko Kacin MEP, Rapporteur for the accession of Serbia and member of the LGBT Intergroup, said: “We will continue to encourage the authorities in Belgrade to make sure that the next trip of an MEP to the Belgrade Pride will not only be to a press conference, like mine was last year. LGBT rights should be respected throughout the year, and the first convictions for hate violence set an important precedent.”
The resolution on Montenegro, however, highlights positive developments in the country, and “welcomes the recent adoption of the Law Against Discrimination, which explicitly mentions sexual orientation and gender identity”.
Finally, the resolution on Kosovo says that “discrimination is still a serious problem in the country, and calls on the Government to implement a broad anti-discrimination strategy” on all grounds, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Rapporteur for the integration process of Kosovo and Co-president of the LGBT Intergroup at the European Parliament, added: “These accession reports show the European Union is more committed than ever to the respect of fundamental rights, regardless of people’s sexual orientation and gender identity. Now the Commission must take note of these recommendations, and closely monitor developments for LGBT rights in 2012.
“In the European Parliament and especially the LGBT Intergroup we will follow developments, and insist that progress is essential for LGBT people to be able to live their lives and loves without fear.”

RELATED: In the European Union it’s been conducted a survey for all LGBTs across the Union and Croatia. This is the first survey of its kind:

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights launched the survey on the LGBT experience of life in member states today.It is hoped the results will support the development of equality policies for gay and trans people in the European Union and form an agenda for years to come.The Agency said national and European policy makers, as well as non-governmental organisations, would be able to better target their advocacy strategies and activities to tackle discrimination against the gay and transgender communities across Europe.The survey asks a range of questions about LGBT people’s experiences including:Personal circumstances
Public perceptions and responses to homophobia and/or transphobia
Discrimination
Rights awareness
Safe environment
Violence and harassment
The social context of being an LGBT person.
The Agency said the survey will remain completely anonymous, with no data on participants and their sessions being logged in any way. The survey is operated by the survey firm Gallup.
The European LGBT Survey depends on the participation of as large and diverse a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans respondents from each country as possible to build up an accurate picture.
In addition to filling in the survey, participants are being asked to email it, sharing it in social media to encourage others to take part.
The survey has Facebook pages both for participants in the UK andacross the European Union, and a Twitter account at@EU_LGBT_Survey.
To learn more or to take the survey, which should take around 15 minutes, follow this link: http://lgbtsurvey.eu.
The anonymous survey is open to all gay, bi and transgender people above the age of eighteen living in the EU and Croatia.

European Union: European Parliament Resolves To Protect Gay Couples’ Inheritance Rights

Pink News UK reports:

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on member states to ensure gay couples inheritance rights are respect around the EU.
The report adopted by the Parliament says individual countries who do not recognise legal partnerships between gay couples should not be able to deny a gay widow or widower the rights they have to their late spouse’s estate under the law of their home country.
It said a state “should not be able to apply the public-policy exception in order to set aside the law of another State or to refuse to recognise, or, as the case may be, accept, or enforce a decision, an authentic instrument, or a court settlement from another Member State when doing so would be contrary to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in particular Article 21, which prohibits all forms of discrimination.”
Denmark, the UK and Ireland do not participate in the legislation as they have long exercised an opt-out in some parts of the Parliament’s area of freedom, security and justice policies.
The Parliament made clear the law creates no new inheritance rights but ensures the law under which a couple married can be enforced in another country.
As the LGBT Intergroup explains, a Spanish woman who married an Italian woman under Spain’s equal marriage laws could enforce her Spanish inheritance rights on her deceased partner’s estate in Italy, though Italy does not recognise such unions itself.
Dennis de Jong MEP, Vice-President of the LGBT Intergroup in the European Parliament, said: “Free movement will only become a full reality when all couples can move across the European Union without worrying about their children, their families, their estate, and one another.”
“Death is a terrible moment, and we must make sure the dignity of same-sex partners is protected, even beyond their life.”
Eva Lichtenberger MEP, responsible for the report on behalf of the Greens/EFA group, added: “We are very pleased the European Parliament stands by EU values of equality and non-discrimination in the field of succession. The Rapporteur, Kurt Lechner, also stands firmly by this position and will make sure European governments do not allow discrimination.”
The Parliament also adopted an annual report on gender equalityand made recommendations for gay and trans equality in the EU, with particular focus on countries including Lithuania, Romania and Hungary which have defined ‘the family’ in a way which disadvantages gay parents.
The report says the Parliament “regrets the implementation by some Member States of restrictive definitions of ‘family’ in order to deny legal protection to same-sex couples and their children”.
Sophie in ‘t Veld, author of the report and Vice-president of the LGBT Intergroup, explained: “I don’t know what it is about Europe that allows us to recognise bread as bread and cheese as cheese when they go from the Netherlands to Germany, but not love as love. Conservative colleagues keep trying to cage same-sex families in their own country. But freedom of movement is for everyone in the EU, and equality will prevail.”

European Parliament Denounces Russia’s “Gay Propaganda” Laws

Pink News UK reports:

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the upcoming presidential election in Russia today clearly denouncing the regional laws which ban ‘gay propaganda’ around minors.
The St Petersburg city legislature approved the ‘gay propaganda’ bill 31 to 6 in a delayed second reading last week and reportedly increased fines for those convicted under it tenfold.
Three other regions have similar laws in place already.
One MEP said the composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky would be “rolling his grave”.
The parliamentary resolution reminds Russia of its obligations under several international human rights agreements, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The European Parliament “strongly condemns the adoption by the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg of a law against propaganda on sexual orientation”, and “equally condemns similar laws adopted in the Ryazan, Arkhangelsk and Kostroma regions”.
The Parliament further “calls on all Russian authorities to stop restricting freedom of expression in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity”.
It calls on Catherine Ashton, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative, “to convey the European Union’s opposition to these laws”.
Earlier Michael Cashman MEP, Co-President of the Intergroup on LGBT Rights, had said that the laws’ “starting point is that homosexuality is wrong, but what is wrong is the promotion of intolerance and discrimination!”.
Sophie in ‘t Veld MEP, Vice-president of the LGBT Intergroup, also commented: “Tchaikovsky and Constantinovich must be rolling over in their graves. Such laws are simply unacceptable; if Russia isn’t serious about respecting the European Convention on Human Rights, it should simply call the bluff and leave the Council of Europe altogether. And more than statements, these grave human rights abuses must have consequences for the EU-Russia relationship!”
250,000 people worldwide had signed a petition protesting the law and it was condemned by British and American governments before Russia’s second city pushed ahead last week.
Other Russian regions Ryazan, Arkhangelsk and Kostroma already hinder the promotion of homosexuality in public but St Petersburg’s international stature has brought the issue to the fore.
Meanwhile, 200 people attended a protest in Berlin today outside the Russian Embassy.
Marieluise Beck, the Head of the Commission on Eastern European Politics in the German Bundestag said: “We express solidarity with the LGBT community in Russia.
“No one forced Russia to join the Council of Europe. Joining, however, Russia signed under the European Convention on Human Rights, which includes the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.”
Protesters then marched through the streets of Berlin chanting slogans condemning homophobia in Russia.

European Union To Address Anti-Gay Moves In Russia

The Advocate reports:

European Union leaders today received a petition opposing antigay initiatives in Russia — and promised to raise the issue with Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin.

The petition by international LGBT rights group AllOut.org, bearing 246,245 signatures from around the world, was delivered to Catherine Ashton, high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs, and Ulrike Lunacek and Michael Cashman, members of the European Parliament and copresidents of its Intergroup on LGBT Rights, at the Parliament office in Strasbourg, France.

LGBT activists are concerned about several recent and pending moves in Russia. The legislative assembly of St. Petersburg has given preliminary approval to a bill that would prohibit public mention of gay or transgender issues; it would have the effect of banning pride parades and many other events. The city government in Moscow is also working on such a law, and the national government is reportedly considering one as well. Two regions of Russia have adopted similar measures. Backers of the various bills include United Russia, the political party to which Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev belong.

The European Parliament is scheduled to adopt a resolution condemning this legislation tomorrow, and Ashton promised to meet with Putin and bring up the concerns about it, according to a news release from the Parliament. Lunacek and Cashman issued a joint statement praising her pledge, saying, “We warmly welcome Catherine Ashton’s assurance that she will raise the issue directly with the Russian prime minister. The issue of equal rights for LGBT people and freedom of expression (as well as fair elections) is very dear to all Europeans — and Russians are Europeans too,” although Russia is not a member of the E.U.

Added AllOut cofounder Andre Banks: “This is a great victory: Because hundreds of thousands around the world joined AllOut.org to raise their voice, Russian activists have been heard at the highest level of the international community. But we need to continue the fight and stay mobilized with our friends in Russia.”

European Parliament Urges Croatia To Protect LGBT Citizens Before Joining EU

Pink News UK reports:

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution which reminds Croatia of its obligation to protect gay citizens from homophobia and homophobic violence before it joins the EU in 2013.
Last year, the European Parliament said Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey had to prove they could offer “genuine protection” to gay people in order to become member states.
Candidate countries were reminded that protections such as anti-discrimination laws were “non-negotiable”.
But this summer, a Pride march in the coastal town of Split ended in violent clashes.
The resolution adopted by the Parliament says in part that it is “deeply concerned by the violence against participants in the LGBT pride march in Split on 11 June 2011 and the inability of the Croatian authorities to protect the participants”.
Croatian authorities are urged to “investigate and prosecute the crimes committed and to develop strategies for preventing similar incidents in the future”.
The text also calls for them to “quickly adopt and implement an action plan against homophobia”.
Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co President of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, said: “The European Parliament has consistently called for the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Europe, including in the Western Balkans.
“The work of some local and national authorities in Croatia is slowly leading to a better situation for everyone, but more is needed to ensure LGBT people can live free from fear and discrimination in South-Eastern Europe.”
Marije Cornelissen, a Dutch MEP member of the LGBT Intergroup and author of the paragraph on LGBT rights, added: “Croatia will be welcome in the European Union in 2013, but until then — and once it has become a Member State — it will need to pay close attention to the rights of minorities.”
She added: “During Split Pride earlier this year, local authorities were unable to protect me and other participants from violent demonstrators. I look forward to the day when Croatia, with the help of other European countries including the Netherlands, will adopt an action plan against homophobia and transphobia.”
Last year the country’s Football Federation chief apologised after claiming while he was in charge of Croatian football there would be “no homosexuals playing in the national team”.

United Kingdom: Government Warns Ex-Pats Of Potential Riots Over Euro Collapse

Joe.My.God. reports:

The British government has advised its embassies across Europe that they are to write up emergency plans to assist ex-pats in the event of rioting over the collapse of the Euro.

Diplomats are preparing to help Britons abroad through a banking collapse and even riots arising from the debt crisis. The Treasury confirmed earlier this month that contingency planning for a collapse is now under way. A senior minister has now revealed the extent of the Government’s concern, saying that Britain is now planning on the basis that a euro collapse is now just a matter of time. “It’s in our interests that they keep playing for time because that gives us more time to prepare,” the minister told the Daily Telegraph. Recent Foreign and Commonwealth Office instructions to embassies and consulates request contingency planning for extreme scenarios including rioting and social unrest.

The treaties that set up the Euro Zone provide no mechanism for member nations to leave the group, setting the stage for widespread chaos.

European Union: European Parliament Calls For LGBT Rights Across All EU Nations

Joe.My.God. reports:

The European Parliament has repeated its 2008 call for a comprehensive LGBT rights law that covers all European Union member nations. A bill on that subject has languished for three years.

• The draft horizontal anti-discrimination Directive would forbid discrimination based on religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in access to goods and services, education, and access to social benefits. It still requires approval from all 27 EU Member States. Germany and others have refused any dialogue on the draft law, despite examining the proposals since July 2008. On Tuesday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution in which it “notes that the Member States should, as a priority, agree and adopt as soon as possible the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment”. The text further ”calls on the [European] Commission to continue to support the overcoming of technical difficulties [between Member States] in order to ensure that a swift agreement is reached”.

Euro Parliament Doesn’t Want Trans People Classified As Mentally Ill 

The Advocate reports:

A resolution passed by the European Parliament has called on the World Health Organization to remove gender identity disorder from their mental and behavioral disorder category.

The WHO’s International Classification of Diseases, which currently classifies transgender people as mentally ill, will be released in updated form in 2015.

Emine Bozkurt, a Dutch MEP, said, “Transgender people wishing to live in a body that matches their identity are of course entitled to medical treatment and its benefits, but the negative stigma surrounding them must stop.”

Spanish MEP Raül Romeva i Rueda, the vice-president of the LGBT intergroup, agreed, saying the current classification means that transgender people “are not free to decide for themselves, and are often disrespected by the medical profession, their employers and their families.”

“This call sends one clear message to the commission and the WHO,” he continued, “the pathologization of gender identity must stop.”