Homophobia and Discrimination on

<strong>Homophobia</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Discrimination</strong> on Grounds of Sexual Orientation <strong>and</strong> Gender Identity in the EU Member States
56
In the case of Baczkowski <strong>and</strong> Others v. Pol<strong>and</strong>, Application no. 1543/06, Judgment
of 3 may 2007, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the bans of Equality
Marches <strong>and</strong> assemblies in Warsaw in 2005 was a violation of the Articles 11, 13 <strong>and</strong>
14 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 130
Administrative impediments
Interviews revealed that administrative impediments were used in Estonia in 2007, with
local police reluctant to cooperate with Pride organisers <strong>and</strong> requiring them to hire a
private security company. 131 The organisers submitted a complaint to the Chancellor of
Justice. The Chancellor established that the Põhja Politseiprefektuur [Northern Police
Prefecture] had not followed the st<strong>and</strong>ards of good governance when refusing to
cooperate with the parade organisers. 132
The Chancellor of Justice further pointed out that, although the authorities seem to be
aware of their negative obligations, i.e. not to disturb the parade, they were not aware of
their positive obligation to provide an environment where freedom of assembly <strong>and</strong>
related rights can be enjoyed (for example, by protecting demonstrators from counterprotesters).
133
According to interviewees, similar impediments occurred in relation to a Diversity March
in Romania in 2008, with local police requiring the organisers to provide a traffic
regulation plan. 134
Counter-reactions
The reactions against LGBT demonstrations such as Pride events are not limited to
public authorities. In the summer of 2008, violent attacks on Pride marches in the
capitals of the Czech Republic, Hungary <strong>and</strong> Bulgaria were reported in the international
130 See http://www.icj.org/IMG/European_Compilation-web.pdf (26.11.2008)
131 Fieldwork meeting with SEKÜ <strong>and</strong> Diversity (Estonia, 10 March 2008)
132 Estonia/Õiguskantsleri kantselei (09.2007) ‘Soovitus õiguspärasuse ja hea halduse tava järgimiseks’
[‘Recommendation to observe legality <strong>and</strong> good governance’], letter to politseiprefekt [Police Prefect]
Raivo Kütt, p. 13
133 Estonia/Õiguskantsleri kantselei (09.2007) ‘Soovitus õiguspärasuse ja hea halduse tava järgimiseks’
[‘Recommendation to observe legality <strong>and</strong> good governance’], letter to politseiprefekt [Police Prefect]
Raivo Kütt, p. 13
134 Fieldwork meeting with ACCEPT (Romania, 7 April 2008)