Baltic Pride must go ahead without hindrance!

The Vilnius municipality authorities have issued that the Baltic Pride 2013 March for Equality must be relocated, from the central avenue in the downtown of Vilnius to rather isolated and inaccessible area on the riverbank.

Amnesty International believes that the restrictions imposed by the Vilnius municipality authorities are in violation of Lithuania’s obligations under international human rights law. Also Article 11 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) and Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The municipal authorities motivated their objection with the difficulty to secure the safety of the participants and the economic loss of third parties, such as bars and restaurants in the area.

The Lithuania Gay League (LGL), the organizer of the Baltic Pride 2013, has now taken the case to the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania. The court hearing on Baltic Pride 2013 legal case is scheduled on 27 March 2013.

Act now, and sign this petition, so that the march can take place on the central avenue!