VILNIUS — A possible death knell has hit the Baltic Pride parade, the gay parade scheduled for this Saturday, with authorities claiming there could be safety risks for participants.

The parade has seen stiff opposition in Lithuania’s parliament. Seimas member Petras Gražulis, who has been a mouthpiece for the homophobic movement, was campaigning to have the parade, which would be the first of [private_supervisor]its kind in Lithuania canceled.

Raimondas Petrauskas, Lithuania’s acting prosecutor general and Stanislovas Buškevičius, member of the Kaunas city council, have applied to the court to ban the Baltic Pride march, saying that the participants run a safety risk. The parade received permission from the city’s government.

The Prosecutor General’s Office told the court that it will have evidence to present to the court, which will rule on Wednesday.

The organizers are worried that homophobic elements of society will cancel the event.

“ILGA-Europe, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights and Amnesty International are calling on the Lithuanian authorities to ensure that the human right to peaceful assembly is respected and LGBT people in Lithuania are provided with adequate protection in the exercise of this right,” the organizers said in a press release. They cited the constitution which says that people can not be stopped from meeting in peaceful meetings.

The established case-law of the European Court of Human Rights on freedom of assembly has been affirmed in relation to LGBT people and the court said that violating the right of assembly on the grounds of sexual orientation is discriminatory, the press release said.

The intergroup’s executive director Evelyne Paradis challenged the Lithuanian authorities to let it go ahead.

“We appeal to the Lithuanian authorities to stand up for democratic values and human rights. The authorities cannot allow themselves to be blackmailed by threats and opposing views to sacrifice basic freedoms guaranteed both by Lithuanian legislation and the country’s international human rights obligations. It is their duty to ensure that its citizens are free to express their views and adequately protected from intimidation and individuals who do not share their opinion,” she said.

Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination, John Dalhuisen, said that the government needs to be strong in supporting human rights

“Any decision to ban the Baltic Pride would be a triumph for prejudice and a victory for those prepared to resort to violence to impose their views. It would be a huge defeat for human rights and the rule of law. Amnesty International is calling on the Lithuanian authorities to honor its obligations and respect the human rights of all its citizens.” [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]its kind in Lithuania canceled.

Raimondas Petrauskas, Lithuania’s acting prosecutor general and Stanislovas Buškevičius, member of the Kaunas city council, have applied to the court to ban the Baltic Pride march, saying that the participants run a safety risk. The parade received permission from the city’s government.

The Prosecutor General’s Office told the court that it will have evidence to present to the court, which will rule on Wednesday.

The organizers are worried that homophobic elements of society will cancel the event.

“ILGA-Europe, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights and Amnesty International are calling on the Lithuanian authorities to ensure that the human right to peaceful assembly is respected and LGBT people in Lithuania are provided with adequate protection in the exercise of this right,” the organizers said in a press release. They cited the constitution which says that people can not be stopped from meeting in peaceful meetings.

The established case-law of the European Court of Human Rights on freedom of assembly has been affirmed in relation to LGBT people and the court said that violating the right of assembly on the grounds of sexual orientation is discriminatory, the press release said.

The intergroup’s executive director Evelyne Paradis challenged the Lithuanian authorities to let it go ahead.

“We appeal to the Lithuanian authorities to stand up for democratic values and human rights. The authorities cannot allow themselves to be blackmailed by threats and opposing views to sacrifice basic freedoms guaranteed both by Lithuanian legislation and the country’s international human rights obligations. It is their duty to ensure that its citizens are free to express their views and adequately protected from intimidation and individuals who do not share their opinion,” she said.

Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination, John Dalhuisen, said that the government needs to be strong in supporting human rights

“Any decision to ban the Baltic Pride would be a triumph for prejudice and a victory for those prepared to resort to violence to impose their views. It would be a huge defeat for human rights and the rule of law. Amnesty International is calling on the Lithuanian authorities to honor its obligations and respect the human rights of all its citizens.” [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]its kind in Lithuania canceled.

Raimondas Petrauskas, Lithuania’s acting prosecutor general and Stanislovas Buškevičius, member of the Kaunas city council, have applied to the court to ban the Baltic Pride march, saying that the participants run a safety risk. The parade received permission from the city’s government.

The Prosecutor General’s Office told the court that it will have evidence to present to the court, which will rule on Wednesday.

The organizers are worried that homophobic elements of society will cancel the event.

“ILGA-Europe, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights and Amnesty International are calling on the Lithuanian authorities to ensure that the human right to peaceful assembly is respected and LGBT people in Lithuania are provided with adequate protection in the exercise of this right,” the organizers said in a press release. They cited the constitution which says that people can not be stopped from meeting in peaceful meetings.

The established case-law of the European Court of Human Rights on freedom of assembly has been affirmed in relation to LGBT people and the court said that violating the right of assembly on the grounds of sexual orientation is discriminatory, the press release said.

The intergroup’s executive director Evelyne Paradis challenged the Lithuanian authorities to let it go ahead.

“We appeal to the Lithuanian authorities to stand up for democratic values and human rights. The authorities cannot allow themselves to be blackmailed by threats and opposing views to sacrifice basic freedoms guaranteed both by Lithuanian legislation and the country’s international human rights obligations. It is their duty to ensure that its citizens are free to express their views and adequately protected from intimidation and individuals who do not share their opinion,” she said.

Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination, John Dalhuisen, said that the government needs to be strong in supporting human rights

“Any decision to ban the Baltic Pride would be a triumph for prejudice and a victory for those prepared to resort to violence to impose their views. It would be a huge defeat for human rights and the rule of law. Amnesty International is calling on the Lithuanian authorities to honor its obligations and respect the human rights of all its citizens.” [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]its kind in Lithuania canceled.

Raimondas Petrauskas, Lithuania’s acting prosecutor general and Stanislovas Buškevičius, member of the Kaunas city council, have applied to the court to ban the Baltic Pride march, saying that the participants run a safety risk. The parade received permission from the city’s government.

The Prosecutor General’s Office told the court that it will have evidence to present to the court, which will rule on Wednesday.

The organizers are worried that homophobic elements of society will cancel the event.

“ILGA-Europe, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights and Amnesty International are calling on the Lithuanian authorities to ensure that the human right to peaceful assembly is respected and LGBT people in Lithuania are provided with adequate protection in the exercise of this right,” the organizers said in a press release. They cited the constitution which says that people can not be stopped from meeting in peaceful meetings.

The established case-law of the European Court of Human Rights on freedom of assembly has been affirmed in relation to LGBT people and the court said that violating the right of assembly on the grounds of sexual orientation is discriminatory, the press release said.

The intergroup’s executive director Evelyne Paradis challenged the Lithuanian authorities to let it go ahead.

“We appeal to the Lithuanian authorities to stand up for democratic values and human rights. The authorities cannot allow themselves to be blackmailed by threats and opposing views to sacrifice basic freedoms guaranteed both by Lithuanian legislation and the country’s international human rights obligations. It is their duty to ensure that its citizens are free to express their views and adequately protected from intimidation and individuals who do not share their opinion,” she said.

Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination, John Dalhuisen, said that the government needs to be strong in supporting human rights

“Any decision to ban the Baltic Pride would be a triumph for prejudice and a victory for those prepared to resort to violence to impose their views. It would be a huge defeat for human rights and the rule of law. Amnesty International is calling on the Lithuanian authorities to honor its obligations and respect the human rights of all its citizens.” [/private_subscription 1 year]

— This is a paid article. To subscribe or extend your subscription, click here.