Jim Murphy

Minister for Europe

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Thursday 03 July, 2008

Violence at Pride parades

I was very upset to hear the reports of violence at the Pride parades in Prague, Riga and Sofia in the last few weeks, and also very disappointed that pressure from various sources meant the Pride parade in Moldova scheduled for May did not take place.   This was in marked contrast to the peaceful Pride held for the first time ever in Delhi on Sunday 29 June.

The FCO is committed to promoting equality and ending the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people around the world and we've developed a program of skills and information for Embassies and diplomats to help achieve this. We look at where the UK can have a positive effect in providing information on the official British policy on gay rights and instructions in how to provide added value to equality and non-discrimination work. It covers a wide range of issues, from decriminalisation, sexual health, reproductive rights and health education to bilateral work with other countries.

Although we focus work in countries where homosexuality is criminalised, we also monitor the situation across Europe closely. The British Embassies in Warsaw and Riga, for example, were active in helping support and celebrate the diversity, equality and acceptance for all that the Pride events promote. We are also very active in international organisations in promoting our goal of equality for LGBT people in the enjoyment of human rights.

 

Posted at 12:36 03 July 2008 by Jim Murphy  |  Comments[3]

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"The FCO is committed to promoting equality and ending the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender LGBT people around the world" - very nice but what is the FCO doing in countries like Saudi Arabia and US states like Virginia on this issue?

Posted by David Wade on July 04, 2008 at 01:54 PM BST #

Hi David, Just to point out that as another member of the public and no Labour supporter Jim Murphy is Minister for EUROPE and therefore that is his remit. Of course there are issues beyond Europe over which the British Govt has less control but the actions in by the British Govt in Europe do not end in Europe. It all sends signals but you can't hold them responsible for the behaviour of Saudi Arabia... and Icant help feeling they might be a rather harder nut to crack! What might be good for the British Govt to consider is to align the rather disappointing behaviour of the Home Office in relation to LGBT Asylum seekers with the excellent example of the Foreign Office and provide an example of "joined up Govt" so often promised by New Labour...and will be a very good thing ...when we get it! The Home Office need to make homophobia and transphobia specific grounds for asylum, need to grant Pegah Emambaksh and other LGBT asylum seekers immediate asylum as per Mehdi Kazemi...get their immigration staff trained in homophobia and transphobia as per the racism and sexism training they already receive and jolly well stop addding to the suffering of LGBT people who have actually made it to the UK having suffered terribly in their own countries. What we also need is some positive updating of the FCO country reports with specific reference to homosexuality because they often UNDERstate the severity of the persecution suffered by LGBT people.

Posted by naomi collins on July 09, 2008 at 12:02 AM BST #

There was no violence in Riga, Sofia or Prague...I should know I was in Prague for a wedding and Bride and Groom were thrilled they had accidentally chosen the day of Stonewall for their wedding! however Czech Pride was in Brno, which a certain Minister for Europe ought to know. There was also no violence in either Riga or Sofia, I was at Riga too....last year in Riga 2007 there were a couple of firecrackers one landed @5m from my feet however the man who threw it was immediately bundled away by police together with his 15 yr old son. Both were later convicted and sentenced according to Latvijan law. Latvija 2008: the President of Latvija made a very positive and supportive speech, which was read out to those attending the Pride celebrations in the historic 11 November Krestmalu Embankment in front of the Presidential Castle. Sofia: Also no violence in Sofia, Bulgaria...largely because the Mayor insisted on armoured vehicles to protect Pride... Despite nerves the previous day when he relgated the Parade to a Park in the south of Sofia when the Parade route had been agreed for weeks he CHANGED his mind in a meeting with the heroic Aksinia of BGO Gemini, the LGBT org in Bulgaria. He said the Parade WOULD go ahead and go ahead with his protection...and indeed it did despite fierce right wing threats and homophobic pronouncements from the Patriarch of Bulgaria. Come on Jim, your heart is in the right place but the facts are a bit adrift.

Posted by Elena Gordon on July 24, 2008 at 12:19 AM BST #

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