Hungary moving away from fascism

While the Budapest's prosecutor "has accused a far-right group recently established in the country of racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism and asked a court to disband it", "Hungary's parliament yesterday approved the Registered Partnership Act. From January 1st 2009 lesbian and gay couples will have almost identical rights as married heterosexual couples in common law", in accordance with the newly signed Chart of Rights for the European Union, which sadly won't be applied in Poland in full, because of Polish authorities' fear that such Chart of Rights could pave the way for homosexuals to become citizens in full.

Technorati tags: Hungary, Poland, European Chart of Rights

Donde dije digo... Poland's Prime Minister U-Turn

Not that strange in a country more catholic than the Pope. Where Donald Tusk said formerly that in case of being elected Prime Minister Poland would sign the European Union Rights Chart, he meant that things would remain the same or worse. So, children, learn how to play with politicians: first have your rights signed in a law, then vote for them. Rudyard Kipling put it much better in his book Kim:  "Trust a Brahmin before a snake, and a snake before an harlot, and an harlot before a Pathan", and a Pathan before a politician, and a politician before Donald Tusk, I would add. With no disrespect for brahmins, snakes, harlots and Pathans, of course. Nuff said.

Technorati tags: Donald Tusk, Poland homophobia

New hope dawns in Poland

LGBT activists have asked newly appointed Poland prime minister Donald Tusk to "discuss legalisation of civil unions, the introduction of comprehensive sexual education in schools and the ban of discrimination based on sexual orientation." Unlike former prime minister, president's twin Jaroslaw Kaczynski of the Law and Justice party; Tusk and his party, while remaining into conservative stances in politics, are more likely to approach to European Union civil rights standards especially in homosexuality issues, Pink News informs. Within one week, on November 17th, people will see to which extent liberalizing measures in terms of homosexual repression or allowance find their way within this Poland new government, the March of Equality in Poznan having been planned for that date.

Technorati tags: Poland, Homophobia, Politics, European Court of Human Rights. LGBT Rights

European Day against Death Penalty

ILGA-Europe reminds us on this day that there are still seven countries (six and a half, in fact) that keep death penalty as punishment for same-sex activities, namely Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mauritania, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the 12 northern Nigerian states under shari'a.

It's the first event of its kind in Europe, sponsored by the Council of Europe, after last month Poland tried to veto the celebration on grounds that it should also condemn abortion and eutanasia. We have already reported Poland's government attitudes and policies in regards to LGBT issues and rights, which are dominated by a deep ultracatholicism. Poland's conservative, populist government has made something of a speciality of going against EU opinion on issues ranging from homosexuality to environmental protection.

Precisely in Poland, Police had to evict a group of nuns from a convent in Kazimierz Dolny. Previously, 10 nuns of the Congregation of the Sisters of Bethany had been expelled from their order by the Vatican. Church spokesman has likened the Congregation to a sect, and it seems that their mother superior has claimed to have been having visions of the Holy Spirit. Sixty five nuns and a Franciscan monk were found inside the convent.

It's curious that on nuns convents there's always a monk. Or a garden keeper. Busy men.

Technorati tags: Death Penalty, Europe, Poland

European Court of Human Rights: Poland broke human rights

The European Court of Human Rights in the eastern French town of Strasbourg rejected the Warsaw government’s appeals and decided a Polish court had broken human rights in three cases: Alicja Tysiac had her human rights violated when authorities denied her right to an abortion despite the fact pregnancy was a threat to her health; parliamentary deputy Tadeusz Matyjak, who was not granted the same treatment as the government was given during the litigation; and the Warsaw city hall ban of a Gay Parade in 2005. The European court ruled the ban was illegal as it broke human rights to organize public gatherings. The European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights has already issued a note welcoming the Court decision.

Moreover, the European Pride Organisers Association chose precisely Warsaw to be host to the EuroPride 2010. "The discrimination, the bigotry and the right-wing and religious extremism against GLBT people in all of Eastern Europe has to stop! EuroPride Warsaw 2010 will be a symbol for all these countries." said Robert Kastl, president of EPOA. Warsaw Pride was banned in 2004 and again in 2005 by the then-Mayor of Warsaw and now President of Poland Lech Kaczynski.

More recently, Poland's PM and President twin Jaroslaw tried to launch a series of measures banning all homosexual presence from public life, from firing gay and lesbian teachers to introducing textbooks calling homosexuality an abomination, in the most newborn style. However, due to political unsupport and allegedly his own political misdemeanors, had to resign from his position and call for anticipate elections which will be held before the end of 2007.

Meanwhile, in Romania, George Becali, leader of the PNG-CD, said recently that if he will be elected president of Romania, he wants to abolish all the gay clubs, sex shops and, perhaps, build special neighbourhoods for homosexuals, in order to isolate them.

Technorati tags: Poland, European Court of Human Rights. LGBT Rights, Romania

LGBT paradise in Europe endangered?

Amsterdam, once well known as Gay paradise in Europe, is endangered. From 16 attacks on homosexuals in 2006, the number of such in 2007 (Jan-Aug) has already raised up to 18, informs El País (Spanish). The former Blue and Pink hotline established by Dutch police to receive denounces on homophobia has turned into a corpse of 30 gay and lesbian policemembers who patrol Amsterdam streets encouraging same sex loving people to denounce aggressions. Though the report on the Eurogaypolice site points to Arab on Arab attacks, El Pais reports that the aggressor profile is more diffuse, noting that white supremacists may also be involved, while not exclusively attacking arab homosexuals.

At the same time, Manchester's police is looking for gay advisors to help them handle homophobia denounces, and in Spain, recent headilines about homophobia are not uncommon, with five attacks last month in Gandia, Valencia. Add all the cases in Eastern European countries, with violence in Moscow Pride and other ex Soviet republics now independent, the recent Gay Kiss issue in Italy, Poland's twins government, et al. No, this is no paradise for homosexuals, and homophobia can be awaiting behind any corner on any street, and that's why we must carry on the, let's say, normalization of homosexuality.

Technorati tags: Homophobia, Amsterdam, Hate crimes, LGBT, Spain, Poland, Europe