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LGBT rights in Moldova

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LGBT rights in Moldova
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Same-sex sexual activity legal? Legal since 1995
Gender identity/expression -
Recognition of
relationships		 No recognition of same-sex relationships
Adoption -
Military service Gays and lesbians allowed to serve
Discrimination protections None (see below)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Moldova may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, it has become increasingly under the influence of the Orthodox Christian church, also, it has been marred by human rights violations against the freedom of association for homosexuals to have Gay Pride demonstrations.[1][2]

Former laws against homosexuality

Since 1995, homosexuality between consenting adults in private has been legal in Moldova. In September 2002 new laws were introduced equalising the age of consent.

Recognition of same-sex relationships

No recognition with respect to same-sex marriage or civil unions is currently legal. Constitution banned same-sex marriage.[3]

Discrimination protections

As of February 2008, a large coalition of human rights organisations, including Information Centre GenderDoc-M, are lobbying the government for implementation of anti-discrimination legislation in line with European standards, which would include sexual orientation as one of protected grounds.

Living conditions

Moldova has a rather small but lively and open-minded gay scene. Chisinau's first gay club - Jaguar Dance and Music Club - opened in 2009. Moldova’s first Gay Pride was held in April 2002,[4] but it was banned in 2007, because homosexuality is said to be undermining the Christian values of the country.[5]

The main gay and lesbian campaigning group is called GenderDoc-M, which seeks to support gays and lesbians within Moldova. However, Moldovan society still remains very homophobic. For example, virulent homophobic statements are casually made by politicians and lesbians and gays are routinely discriminated against. Violence towards the lesbian and gay community is not unknown.[4]

2008 Moldova Pride controversy

On 11 May 2008 the police and authorities stood by as the Moldova Pride Parade was prevented by homophobic crowds who surrounded and intimidated Parade participants by surrounding the Pride bus. The Mayor of Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, whose campaign slogan was "a young mayor, a liberal team, a european capital" had banned the parade the evening before.

Bączkowski and Others v. Poland (3 May 2007) was the case in which the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg ruled that by banning the Pride the then Mayor of Warsaw, Lech Kaczyński had broken three articles of the European Convention of Human Rights: article 11: the freedom of assembly, article 13 the right to appeal and, by allowing others to assemble when Lesbian & Gay people were not were also in breach of article 14, which outlaws discrimination. Moldova has been a member of the Council of Europe since 13 July 1995, and so there can be no question that this ruling is legally binding in Moldova.

A [1] question has been lodged in the European Parliament and a letter [2] expressing grave concern has been sent to the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Intergroup reminds Moldova that Right to Freedom of Assembly is a prerequisite to EU accession, ILGA Europe
  2. ↑ Moldova: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006, U.S. Department of State
  3. ↑ Constitution of the Republic of Moldova
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lesbian and Gay Moldova, Gay Times
  5. ↑ Gay Pride banned despite court ruling, Pink News, 18 April 2007

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*Some information provided in whole or in part by http://en.wikipedia.org/

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