English » Belarusian news » 8 October 2009 at 7²⁶

Text of the Minsk Resolution on LGBT Rights

Approved by the majority of the delegates of the Minsk Conference.

The LGBT Human Rights Project GayBelarus, organizer of the largest ever Belarusian LGBT Conference, held last September 26 in Minsk, publishes the text of the resolution debated and approved by the majority of delegates during the conference.

Minsk Resolution on the Rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people

We, the participants of the International Conference "LGBT and non-governmental organizations. Prospects of cooperation with NGOs and civil society to address the issue of homophobia in Belarus",

• Taking into account the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the Recommendation 1474 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the situation of lesbians and gays in the Council of Europe member States, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
• Considering that the Republic of Belarus decriminalized homosexual acts in 1994, and that the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses in 1990;
• Hoping that the Republic of Belarus is seeking to become a full member of the Council of Europe;

Call the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Parliament of the Republic of Belarus with the following appeal:

1. Make a list of legally prohibited grounds for discrimination concept of sexual orientation and gender identity;
2. Amend the criminal law to ban incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity;
3. Grant equal rights to same sex and heterosexual couples;
4. Recognize May 17 as the Day Against Homophobia in the Republic of Belarus;
5. Assist in organizing activities against homophobia in Belarus, including the promotion of the next Slavic gay Pride on May 15th, 2010;
6. Recognize the right of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to freely register their organization;
7. End the practice of blocking access to LGBT Internet resources.

Approved in Minsk, Belarus September 26, 2009

Author: GayBelarus.by / GayRussia.ru

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