The European Liberal Democrats condemn the Moscow authorities and police for failing to protect peaceful demonstrators from attacks by extremist anti-homosexual groups and for arresting peaceful gay and lesbian rights activists.

“Peaceful demonstrators should be able to demonstrate. Russia, as a member of the Council of Europe and a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, has a responsibility to allow the right to peaceful protest.”

“European Liberals are fully committed to eliminate discrimination and harassment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. We will keep on campaigning for European values that we can be proud of and that includes giving equal opportunities to the LGBT community”, said Annemie Neyts, European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) Party President.

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For more information, please contact Mrs Myriam Cornillet, email: mcornillet@eldr.org, Tél: +32 2 237 01 43, Mobile: +32 485 99 40 56, www.eldr.org

Note:
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, aisbl (ELDR Party) brings together 51 political parties with common liberal, democratic and reform ideals and is the forum for member parties to develop a co-ordinated policy.