Urgent Action Needed As Ukraine Pushes Through Anti Gay Bill

The Ukrainian parliament could give final approval as soon as next week to an anti-gay law (8711) that aims to make LGBT people invisible. As the anti-gay lawmakers pushing this bill planned, there is little time for International rights activists to counter and take action to stop the bill.

We must act fast.

E-mail William Hague, The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and urge him to act without delay and make an urgent public statement on his position.

Letter to William Hague
Rt. Hon William Hague
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Dear Mr. Hague,

UKRAINE: ANTI-GAY LAW 8711

The Ukrainian parliament could give final approval as soon as next week to an anti-gay law (8711) ahead of parliamentary elections.

The bill aims to make gay people invisible and outlaw any "positive depiction" of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and will ban any pride marches. If adopted, the legislation will censor the media, civil society activists and human rights defenders and could result in heavy fines or imprisonment up to five years.

President Viktor Yanukovych has the power to stop the law, seeking to take advantage of the climate of anti-gay opinion out of which to gain support in the forthcoming election.

This draft law breaches articles 2, 19, 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); Article 14 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR); Article 26 of the ICCPR, which provides for equality before the law and equal protection of the law; and Protocol 12 to the ECHR, ratified by Ukraine in 2006, which encompasses a general prohibition of discrimination in respect of all legal rights.

I urge you to act without delay and use all the diplomatic means in your power to help stop this law and make an urgent public statement on your position.