Dáil debates

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Homophobic Crime

1:10 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to recent anti-LGBT legislation passed in Russia; the accompanied increase in violent attacks on Russian LGBT citizens; if Ireland’s representative to the Council of Europe raised it at their meeting in Strasbourg on 22 to 24 September; and if he has raised this human rights issue with the Russian Government. [41296/13]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have made lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex, LGBTI, rights a human rights priority and I am firmly committed to combating discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. I have expressed our strong disagreement with recent LGBTI-related Russian legislation. Such legislation, while purporting to protect young people, is more likely to result in the further stigmatisation and criminalisation of LGBTI young people. My Department has made our position known to senior officials at the Russian Embassy and it is my intention to raise the matter at my next meeting with a Russian Minister.

Reports of a recent upsurge in violence against LGBTI people in the Russian Federation are a matter of grave concern, including deeply disturbing Internet footage purporting to show young LGBTI individuals being lured to a location and violently assaulted. Let me state clearly that any act of violence directed against members of the LGBTI community in Russia, or anywhere else for that matter, is unacceptable and to be deplored. While polls suggest the recent legislation enjoys broad popular support in Russia, I believe no Government should legislate for prejudices but rather should confront and overcome them.

Ireland worked to ensure the EU statement at the 24th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 17 September contained a strong reference to our serious concerns about Russian LGBTI legislation and called on the Russian Federation to strive for greater inclusiveness and tolerance. Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe restated Ireland’s position last week and noted that respect for the rights and freedoms of LGBTI persons was now an accepted norm across Europe and that society had benefited from this. In my own statement to the UN General Assembly on 28 September I was critical of legal measures increasingly being adopted which did not protect human rights in law but instead discriminated against people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The European Union is considering how best to ensure ourconcerns are kept firmly on the agenda of the Union’s structured dialogue with Russia, which includes specific consultations on human rights. Ireland will continue to participate actively in the Union’s preparations for these and other senior level meetings with Russian representatives.

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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On 30 June the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, signed into law the Bill banning the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors".

I tabled this question in order to draw attention to what is happening in that country and to afford an opportunity for this House to put forward a unified voice in articulating our total abhorrence of how LGBTI people are being treated in Russia. The posting of online videos of homophobic attacks, which are being done under the cloak of this legislation, have shown incidents of kidnap, assault and torture and serve, in their turn, to encourage more such attacks.

The United States President, Barack Obama, has spoken out openly against the new law. The Australian Government has called on the International Olympic Committee to reconsider the staging of the Winter Olympic Games in Russia. As part of the global speak-out day of action, at least 33 cities in 21 countries held events to protest the legislation. An online petition has received huge support. The Tánaiste indicated that he condemns the law and has made our position known to the Russian ambassador. The Tánaiste further stated that he is committed to pressing the issue bilaterally, at EU and international level. Is there anything else we in this House can do to articulate our opposition to this law? It is important to note that the measure has an impact beyond Russia in that it will encourage governments in other countries which would seek to introduce similar laws.

1:20 pm

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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We have already pursued this issue on a number of levels. My Department has been in contact with the Russian chargé d'affaires to inform him of our concerns. I have asked officials to engage actively on this issue in various international fora and to explore which avenues can most effectively be pursued in voicing our concerns, including with our partners in the European Union. Together with our like minded partners we worked to ensure that the EU statement at the 24th session of the Human Rights Council contained a strong reference to our serious concern regarding the Russian LGBTI legislation. We again expressed our concern at the meeting last week in Strasbourg of the committee of Ministers' deputies of the Council of Europe, of which Russia is a member. In my statement at the United Nations General Assembly I was very critical of legal measures being adopted which do not protect human rights in law and instead discriminate against people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. I specifically identified with the courageous leadership shown by the UN Secretary General when he promised in April to lead a global campaign for gay rights. I am due to meet a member of the Russian Government in the near future, when I intend to take the opportunity to discuss this issue.

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Tánaiste's undertaking to raise this issue once again with the Russian Government. It is bizarre that the victims of homophobic attacks are themselves being blamed for what was done to them. I cannot understand where this legislation is coming from, the history of it and so on. It is important that we all stand together in this House in voicing our absolute opposition to it. I urge the Tánaiste to raise the issue with the Russian authorities at every opportunity. The legislation is unacceptable and archaic. The most bizarre element, as I said, is that the victims of attacks arising out of the new law are being blamed for the crimes inflicted on them.

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As I said, we have identified LGBTI rights as a priority human rights issue. It is something we are actively pursuing through our membership of the Human Rights Council, which we took up last January. In addition, we are using other international fora to press for action in this area. We will continue to bring our concerns regarding the new legislation to the Russian authorities. We will be making the point very clearly that, as far as we are concerned, human rights are universal and should apply in the same way in Russia as they apply anywhere else.