Belarus. 2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on Belarus
Svyatoslav Sementsov
of TEMA information center in Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices on Belarus.
“Providing information on discrimination based on sexual orientation
in Belarus for international institutions and media is very important
part of our work. And we are glad to see a lot of our materials and
reports are in practical use. Belarus is a small country, and I’m not
sure that everybody knows where is it; but this moments when we see
that people and institutions around the world take care and pay
attention to brothers and sisters in Belarus makes us stronger!” said
Tanya Ivanova, co-president of TEMA.
BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
...
Section 6 Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons
The law prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, disability,
language, or social status. In practice the government did not always
protect these rights. Problems included violence against women and
children; trafficking in persons; and discrimination against persons
with disabilities, Roma, ethnic minorities, and members of the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
...
Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity
Homosexuality is not illegal, but discrimination against members of
the LGBT community was widespread, and harassment occurred. According
to a local LGBT rights group, government-controlled media discouraged
participation in the protests following the 2006 presidential election
by saying they were part of a "gay revolution."
In February Homyel authorities denied local gay activists permission
to hold a "Right to Love" event on February 12 in which they planned
to distribute educational materials and raise public awareness about
homophobia and discrimination against homosexuals. A similar request
submitted to the Minsk authorities was also denied.
On July 22, Syarhei Androsenka, the head of the GayBelarus project,
announced that Belarus customs officials had seized 25 copies of a gay
interest magazine that were mailed to him. Officials claimed that they
seized the publication because it was not registered in the country.
In the early morning of August 24, following a dispute at a bar,
unknown persons followed and assaulted gay rights activist Maksim
Tsarkou. During the assault the assailants cursed at the victim and
shouted homophobic slurs.
On September 23, the KGB in Homyel informed local gay rights activist
Svyatoslav Sementsov that they had opened a criminal case against him
for participating in activities of an unregistered group. The KGB also
threatened Sementsov with charges of providing defamatory and
discrediting information to a foreign source.
On December 17, a court in Minsk fined LGBT community activist
Alyaksandr Gagaryn BYR 105,000 ($35) for participating in an
unsanctioned picket in front of the Iranian embassy. The activists
demonstrated to protest the capital punishment against LGBT persons in
Iran. Police fined Syarhei Androsenka BYR 875,000 ($300) and Syarhei
Pradzed BYR 350,000($120) on December 23 for their participation in
the same protest.
...
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eur/136021.htm
--
Svyatoslav Sementsov
co-president
TEMA - information center
-
m. +375297390882
svyatoslav...@gmail.com
skype: svyatoslav.sementsov
www.pride.by