Human Rights Monitoring Institute

Thomas Hammarberg, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, visited Lithuania from 19th to 20th October for high level discussions with Lithuanian authorities where a number of human rights issues were raised. He also took part in a seminar on discrimination issues organized by the Swedish Embassy, which is holding the EU presidency, and by the Human Rights Monitoring Institute.   

In his speech during the seminar, he underlined that states should do everything in their power to avoid and to counter tendencies of xenophobic and homophobic nature, which have been feeding on social insecurities resulting from the economic crisis. He appealed to politicians and to the press in Europe to resist such tendencies and to inform people about the importance of respecting human rights.

The Commissioner also met the President of Lithuania, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of the Parliament (Seimas) and the Head of Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad. Further meetings were held with the Head of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office, the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities, and civil society representatives.

The Commissioner noted that the presidential working group created to analyze the controversial Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effects of Public Information had proposed a list of amendments to this law. This decision shows that Lithuanian authorities are fully aware of the negative effects of a legislation containing vague or unduly broad restrictions on freedom of speech, or containing provisions discriminating against people on the basis of their sexual orientation. He is convinced of the willingness of Lithuanian authorities to find a solution to these concerns.

See more at http://www.coe.int/t/commissioner/News/2009/091022Lithuania_en.asp.