Rainbow flag flown on LGBT Pride Day

Monday, 28 June 2010 12:27

On the occasion of International LGBT Pride Day, the Republic Ombudsman and Labris - organisation for lesbian human rights displayed a rainbow flag, a symbol of LGBT persons worldwide, from the building housing the Ombudsman's offices.

Taken into consideration that Pride Day is marked throughout the world by Pride marches and parades through the main streets of capital cities, it was our desire to not only mark the Pride Day with this symbolic action, but also to address the denial of the right for public assembly of LGBT persons in Serbia. In 2001, the first Pride March in Serbia was obstructed by the violent actions of the right-wing and fascist organisations, individual members of the Orthodox clergy and several political parties, while the last year's Pride March was banned by the Ministry of the Interior a mere 24 hours before it was scheduled to occur.

We remind that, even nine months after the banning of Pride March, not a single person was held responsible for the homophobic threats and violence, and that fascist and right-wing organisations, which openly called for violence against the members of a minority group in the months prior to Pride March, are not yet sanctioned and are free to operate within Serbia's public domain. We request that the responsible institutions of the state finally begin applying the laws protecting the LGBT population, to recognize and punish violence against gays and lesbians by arresting and processing the offenders, as well as to ensure the safe preconditions for holding the Pride March in Belgrade.

Labris welcomes the efforts made by the Ombudsman for the LGBT human rights, but regretfully concludes that this institution is one of the very few institutions in Serbia which actively cooperate with the representatives of the LGBT organisations and support the right to sexual orientation not only through their words, but also through their actions.

Happy International Pride Day to all LGBT persons!

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