La série des marches menacées continue

En raison des menaces pesant sur les marches pour les droits LGBT en Ukraine et en Moldavie, Amnesty réagit pour dénoncer ces manquements à la liberté d'expression et à la liberté de manifester pacifiquement.

Ci joint le communiqué de presse (en Français et en Anglais. Les fins observateurs verront que les deux ne sont pas équivalents. L'anglais, plus complet, devrait être traduit sous peu, je pense).

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE



ÉFAI

Index AI : PRE01/141/2010

28 avril 2010



Moldavie. Alors que la marche pour l’égalité est frappée d’interdiction, il importe de respecter les droits des LGBT



Amnesty International a condamné ce mercredi 28 avril 2010 la décision d’une cour d’appel moldave qui a confirmé l’interdiction frappant une marche en faveur de l’égalité en raison de « préoccupations liées à la sécurité et à la morale publique ».

Les défenseurs des droits des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres (LGBT) avaient prévu de participer à la manifestation dimanche 2 mai dans la capitale, Chişinău, afin de soutenir l’amélioration des lois contre la discrimination en Moldavie.

Toutefois, les autorités de la ville de Chişinău ont introduit une requête visant à interdire cette marche, en raison des nombreuses pétitions émanant de mouvements religieux et de groupes hostiles aux droits des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres. Une contre-manifestation organisée le même jour à l’initiative de ces organisations a reçu l’aval des autorités.

« Il est totalement grotesque d’empêcher des personnes et des groupes de défiler en faveur de l’égalité et du respect des droits humains, a déclaré John Dalhuisen, chercheur spécialiste de la discrimination en Europe à Amnesty International.

« Parallèlement, ceux qui s’efforcent de semer la discorde et de répandre les préjugés sont autorisés à célébrer leur brillante restriction du droit à la liberté de réunion d’autrui sur la place principale de Chişinău. »

La cour d’appel de Chişinău a interdit aux manifestants en faveur de l’égalité de se rassembler sur la place de la Grande Assemblée Nationale – place principale de Chişinău – où tous les grands événements publics ont lieu. Elle les a en revanche autorisés à se réunir dans un parc assez éloigné du centre-ville.

GenderDoc-M, organisation qui a initié cette marche, a interjeté appel de la décision auprès de la Cour suprême.

« Les préoccupations relatives à la morale publique ne sauraient servir à justifier des restrictions de la liberté d’expression des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres, a poursuivi John Dalhuisen.

« Face aux menaces de troubles proférées par les contre-manifestants, il ne s’agit pas de céder à leurs exigences, mais bien de maintenir l’ordre comme il se doit et de s’assurer que ceux qui souhaitent exercer leur droit à la liberté d’expression de manière légale puissent le faire dans la sécurité et la dignité. »

Amnesty International invite la mairie de Chişinău, ainsi que les autorités moldaves, à faire en sorte que la marche prévue par les militants des droits des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres dimanche 2 mai 2010 puisse avoir lieu sur la place centrale de la capitale et à prendre toutes les dispositions requises en matière de sécurité.

« Depuis plusieurs années, les défenseurs des droits des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres sont privés du droit d’organiser des événements publics ou, lorsqu’ils y parviennent, confrontés à des troubles et à des violences, a conclu John Dalhuisen.

« Cette série consternante de violations des droits des lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres en Moldavie doit cesser. Les autorités moldaves ont l’occasion de rectifier le tir ce samedi 1er mai. Elles ne doivent pas la manquer. »

Complément d’information

Le droit international relatif aux droits humains précise que la liberté d’expression et de réunion s’étend à tous les groupes, y compris aux lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres. Ces droits couvrent également des idées ou des opinions qui choquent ou offensent d’autres groupes de la société.

Aux termes des normes internationales en matière de droits humains, les États ont aussi l’obligation positive de protéger contre toute violence ou perturbation les personnes qui exercent pacifiquement leurs droits à la liberté d’expression et de réunion.





AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE

AI Index: PRE01/xxc/2010

28 April 2010
Ensuring freedom of assembly for LGBT people in Moldova and Ukraine

This May lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) organisations in Moldova and Ukraine are planning to hold public events. Today the court in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau ruled that the planned peaceful demonstration supporting adoption of anti-discrimination law can only take place in a park far from the city centre. The organisers, GenderDoc-M, plan to appeal this decision while rejecting the alternative location for their event. Following the court decision they have cancelled their original demonstration in the central square.
The Mayor of Chisinau requested the court to ban the demonstration on the basis of public order and morality after receiving petitions from religious and other groups opposing the LGBT event.
The authorities in both countries have previously prevented GenderDoc-M (Moldova) and LiGA (Ukraine) from peacefully exercising their right to freedom of assembly by banning LGBT public events. The European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT rights, ILGA-Europe and Amnesty International jointly call on the authorities in Moldova and Ukraine to respect their obligations as Members of the Council of Europe and to ensure that LGBT people are guaranteed their right to freedom of assembly and fulfil their positive duty to protect the participants even if others oppose human rights for LGBT people.
LGBT activists in Moldova have been banned from organising public events since 2005. In 2007, the Supreme Court of Moldova declared illegal the banning on a public LGBT event in 2006.
In 2009, all festival events, even those of a private nature, organised by LGBT activists in Nikolaev, Ukraine, were obstructed and banned by the city authorities. This year Nikolaev LGBT activists are planning a public event on the 16th of May.
Freedom of assembly is a human right which is guaranteed by major international and European human rights instruments including: Article 21 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and Article 11 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This right is also protected in both countries’ constitutions (Article 39, Constitution of Ukraine, and Article 40, Constitution of Moldova).
The established case-law of the European Court of Human Rights on freedom of assembly has been affirmed in relation to LGBT people and the Court said that violating the right of assembly on the grounds of sexual orientation is discriminatory. The Court affirmed that the freedom of expression extends not only to the ideas and views of the majority, but also to those belonging to minorities or those that may cause shock, disagreement and opposition. Moreover, the Court has consistently ruled that if there is a risk of violence from counter-demonstrators, the state has a positive duty to protect demonstrators.
In March 2010, the governments of both, Moldova and Ukraine, approved the Council of Europe’s Recommendations on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. These Recommendations reaffirm the obligation on the Member States of the Council of Europe to ensure ‘that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, as enshrined in Article 11 of the Convention, can be effectively enjoyed, without discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.’
Both countries are establishing closer links with the European Union under the EU’s Neighbourhood Policy. Accordingly, they must demonstrate a willingness to promote and protect the EU’s fundamental rights principles.
Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe said:
“We are concerned with the violations of the basic right to hold peaceful public events in Moldova and Ukraine. Both countries are aspiring to build democratic pluralistic societies and strengthen their ties with the European Union. We call on the authorities in both countries to act according to established European principles and laws. The governments of Moldova and Ukraine should respect their international human rights obligations made at the Council of Europe under which their citizens are entitled to exercising their right to free assembly without discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Michael Cashman and Ulrike Lunacek, Members of the European Parliament and Co-presidents of the Intergroup on LGBT Rights, declared : “The violation of fundamental human rights, such as freedom of assembly, is simply unacceptable. We will defend these rights with determination, and if necessary we will take action with the European Parliament when it comes to relations and agreements with third countries, such as Moldova and Ukraine.”
Halya Gowan, Director, Europe and Central Asia Programme, Amnesty International, said:
The persistent failure of the Moldovan and Ukrainian to respect freedom of expression and assembly of LGBT people is a serious stain on the human rights records of these two countries. LGBT people have the same rights and obligations as everybody else. It is time for the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities to recognise this. Ensuring that the forthcoming events and marches in Chisinau and Nikolaev are authorised and able to take place in conditions of safety is an essential first step
Notes for editors:
(1) ILGA-Europe is the European Region of ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association and works for equality and human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans & intersex people in Europe: www.ilga-europe.org
(2) The European Parliament's Intergroup on LGBT Rights works by gathering 86 Members of the European Parliament from all political groups and countries, and advancing issues connected to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the European Union and beyond: www.lgbt-ep.eu
(3) Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognised human rights for all: www.amnesty.org
(4) The judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Baczkowski and Others v. Poland is available on ILGA-Europe’s website:
www.ilga-europe.org/europe/guide/country_by_country/poland/european_court_of_human_rights_ban_on_lgbt_pride_in_warsaw_was_illegal_and_discriminatory
(5) The Council of Europe’s Recommendations on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity are available at:
https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1606669&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383