Council of Europe Speaks Out on LGBTI Intolerance
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights has published a memorandum calling for Polish politicians to stop stigmatising LGBT+ people, stating that continuing to do so was legitimising homophobic violence.
The call comes after the Polish Government, run by the Law and Justice (PiS) party made an election pledge in recent elections to battle "LGBT ideology". The memorandum, by Dunja Mijatovic, says "The Commissioner is deeply concerned about the propagation of negative and inflammatory homophobic narratives by many public officials in Poland, including people in the highest ranks of government".
The memorandum goes on to list instances of stigmatization of the LGBT+ community in Poland, including "LGBT-free Zones", some of which were struck down earlier this year by courts. It also condemned the language used by politicians and public figures - including religious leaders - when referring to the LGBT community. It particularly drew attention to the harassment and intimidation of LGBT+ activists by the police.
In response to the memorandum, the Polish government rejected the criticism, saying that the police could not be considered to be harassing or intimidating anyone, and that the clashes only resulted from a lack of respect for the law. They also claimed the comments about "LGBT-free Zones" were inaccurate, and that the institution of marriage as a union between a man and a woman was an enshrined feature of the constitution.
The Polish government is currently under investigation for undermining the independence of courts, media, and NGOs.
Read related myGwork articles here:
EU Launches LGBT+ Rights Plan To Counter Rising Homophobia In Member States
A Country Divided by Violent Politics: LGBTQ+ Rights in Poland
Polish Minister Wants Country To Be LGBT-Free Zone
Joe Biden: “‘LGBT-Free Zones’ Have No Place In The EU Or Anywhere In The World”
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