Livewire – Amnesty International blogging for human rights

The first march in central Belgrade in 10 years was against all discrimination © Amnesty International

By Lydia Aroyo, Europe and Central Asia Press Officer at Amnesty International

Belgrade Pride 2010 began this morning in beautiful weather with a call for tolerance. The violence that erupted outside the venue of the march proved that tolerance is yet to be achieved.

The first march in nearly 10 years in central Belgrade was against discrimination in all its manifestations. It came a day after nationalist organizations and representatives of the Serbian Orthodox clergy led demonstrations calling for the government to ban Belgrade Pride 2010. Continuar leyendo ‘Belgrade Pride 2010 – a call for tolerance, against discrimination’ »

By Lydia Aroyo, Europe and Central Asia Press Officer at Amnesty International

Amnesty International members are arriving today in Belgrade to take part in tomorrow’s Belgrade Pride 2010. They are going to support Serbia’s lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual community (LGBT) in their march against discrimination and for tolerance for the first time in nearly ten years. Last year’s Pride had to be cancelled at the last moment because the authorities declared they could not ensure the safety of the participants. Continuar leyendo ‘On the eve of Belgrade Pride 2010′ »

© Amnesty International

It’s Saturday 3^rd July, and for us, the third day of the ESF will start with action. With our bright yellow t-shirts and jerseys, we headed towards Istiklal, the main busy pedestrian street in Taxim area and started setting up in Galata Saray. We built a long wall and nailed the banner which we all made together the day before. The message was ‘Israel: end the blockade of Gaza’, both in English and in Turkish. Amnesty staff, board members and volunteers gathered behind the wall to symbolise the blockade of Gaza while some were asking for signatures of our postcard action. After the media were gathered, we read the Amnesty public statement out loud from the speaker phone.

The action had very good coverage, mainstream Turkish media and CNN Turkey being some examples and there was a big interest from the public.

Continuar leyendo ‘ESF 2010, Day 3 and closing’ »

By John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s researcher on discrimination in Europe.

Marching for equality, for respect and for human rights © Kåre Viemose

So it’s done.  It happened. Exhilarated, and a little exhausted, we are back at the hotel after a successful Pride march along Vilnius’s river Neris.  We were around 500 in the end, marching for equality, for respect and for human rights.  It was a demonstration and it was a celebration.

We were watched by a couple of thousand – and many more watching it, transmitted live, at home.  Some of those watching were supportive, some curious, many were opposed to our march, and a few, as we expected, were violent – throwing the odd smoke bomb, and anything else they could get their hands on (including, rather strangely, the occasional hotdog) at the police.  But the 600 plus police officers did their job.

Continuar leyendo ‘Baltic Pride 2010 – a rainbow over Lithuania’ »

By Jens Munch, Amnesty International, Denmark

A few hours ago I arrived in Vilnius, Lithuania, to participate in the Baltic Pride 2010 this Saturday. Until a moment ago, I did not know if the pride would be a reality.

But now I’m sitting in the hotel lobby, where the conference “Human Rights Combating Fear and Prejudice” is taking place, and everybody around me is smiling, voices are loud and cheerful and everyone is hopeful about the future of rights for LGBT-people here in Lithuania.

Continuar leyendo ‘Baltic Pride 2010: Human rights on the march …’ »