Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 11:48:09 +0200 From: skolander@bahnhof.se (Bjoern Skolander) (by way of ilga ) Subject: ILGA E-MAIL ACTION #96:2: Romania (Note: apologies if you receive this in multiple copies. As you can see, it is a very important action that we are trying to publicize and appreciate your understanding. Please participate and help distribute this to friends who are not on these mailing lists/ press lists. I just received a phone message from Hein Verkerk, representing our European Regional Secretariat. Today, an emergency resolution will be proposed in the European Parliament in Strassbourg concerning the situation. - Andy Quan, coordinator) FYI If you want to support this Romania action (#96:2), please follow the instructions below. You can join other listmembers in an=20 easy-to-participate email/fax action, or respond individually by faxing your letters of protest to the persons and authorities stated below. Best wishes, Bjoern Skolander ILGA e-mail action support coordinator=20 skolander@bahnhof.se HOW TO JOIN THE EASY-TO-PARTICIPATE EMAIL-FAX ACTION: 1. Address your mail to: skolander@bahnhof.se 2. Write your NAME, ADDRESS (snailmail), etc in the body of the message 3. The letters of protest with all signatures will be faxed on September 25th, 1996. Please post your participation before that date. 4. You can also respond individually by faxing or posting your own letters of protest to the persons and authorities stated below. U R G E N T A C T I O N !! U R G E N T A C T I O N !! U R G E NT = =20 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17 September 1996 ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO EXPAND COMMUNIST-ERA=20 BAN ON HOMOSEXUALS Election-year penal "reform" includes prison terms for gays, members=20 of gay associations BUCHAREST, Romania -- Showing utter contempt for its=20 obligations under European and international law, Romania's Chamber=20 of Deputies voted overwhelmingly on 10 September to continue=20 condemning homosexuals to prison for all consensual same-sex=20 relations, and to establish stiff new prison terms for members of gay=20 associations. =20 The Chamber approved the measure despite repeated appeals from=20 Amnesty International, other leading nongovernmental and=20 intergovernmental organizations, and hundreds of concerned=20 individuals from around the world, calling on Romania to end its=20 oppressive treatment of gays and to assume its place in the modern=20 world. Romania remains the only member state of the Council of Europe=20 which continues to prosecute consensual same-sex relations. Several=20 other Council members -- including the Netherlands, the United=20 Kingdom, and Denmark -- have expressed strong objections in recent=20 months to Romania's ill-treatment of gays and lesbians. The anti-gay measures adopted by the Chamber of Deputies last=20 week are more severe than those enacted by Romania's former communist=20 regime. These measures were drafted by Romania's new justice minister,=20 Ion Predescu, as an effort to revise Article 200 of the penal code=20 (which specifically criminalises homosexuality) as part of a larger=20 penal code "reform" process. Mr. Predescu's proposal, presented in=20 the midst of a heated presidential and parliamentay electoral=20 campaign, received the support of the ruling Government party (PDSR)=20 and an overwhelming majority of opposition parties. The text approved by the Chamber of Deputies last week reads as=20 follows: 1. Sexual relations between persons of the same sex are punishable=20 by six months to three years' imprisonment. 2. Sexual relations between persons of the same sex, taking place=20 in public, or producing a public scandal, are punishable by one=20 to five years imprisonment. 3. If the act provided for in paragraph 1 is committed against a=20 minor, it is punishable by two to seven years imprisonment and=20 the denial of rights. 4. If the act provided for in paragraph 1 is committed under=20 duress or against a person unable to defend himself (or herself)=20 or to express his (or her) will, are punishable with three to=20 ten years'imprisonment and the denial of rights. 5. If the acts provided for in paragraphs two or three are causing=20 serious injury to bodily integrity or to health, the penalty is=20 five to fifteen years imprisonment and the denial of rights. If=20 it is followed by victim's death or suicide, the penalty is=20 fifteen to twentyfive years imprisonment and the denial of rights. 6. Enticing or seducing a person to practise same sex acts, as=20 well as propaganda, associations or any other forms of=20 proselytizing with the same aim are punishable by one to five=20 years' imprisonment. THE PENAL CODE REFORM PROCESS IS NOT YET COMPLETED!! In=20 February, the Romanian Senate approved a version of Article 200 that=20 is similar, but not identical, to that passed by the Chamber. Once=20 the Chamber of Deputies completes action on the entire penal code --=20 probably next week -- a mediation Committee comprised of=20 representatives of the two chambers must meet to work out differences=20 between their versions of Article 200. Local human rights monitors=20 fear that the Senate will ultimately adopt the version drafted by the=20 Chamber of Deputies, given the tremendous political pressure to=20 finish action on the penal code before general elections in November. While the Romanian Constitution allows the President of Romania=20 or members of Parliament to refer draft laws to the Constitutional=20 Court for review, the Chamber of Deputies has already declared its=20 determination to overturn any Constitutional Court decision=20 challenging the constitutionality of the Chamber's anti-gay measures.=20 Members of Parliament may overturn Constitutional Court decisions=20 with a 2/3 vote of both chambers. =20 WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP to put maximum pressure on the=20 Romanian Government and Parliament during this critical moment for=20 the rights of Romania's sexual minorities. SUGGESTED ACTION: 1. Send letters of concern and protest (via fax, e-mail or post) to=20 the Government officials on the attached address list. Your letters=20 should: - urge members of the Chamber of Deputies to reject the Draft Law on=20 the Revision of the Penal Code when is presented to them for a final=20 vote; - call on the Romanian Parliament to ensure that future penal laws do=20 not place individuals at risk solely because of their sexual=20 orientation; and - urge the President, the Prime Minister and members of the=20 Parliament to ensure that Romania honours its commitment to=20 decriminalise homosexual acts in private between consenting adults,=20 made in October 1993 when it became a member of the Council of=20 Europe. 2. Send copies of your letters to ROMANIAN DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES=20 in your own country. 3. Inform, through letters and/or personal contacts, your Ministry of=20 Foreign Affairs and your local member of the European Parliament.=20 Romania is member of the Council of Europe, and has officially=20 expressed its will to be become a member of the European Union and=20 NATO. 4. Meet with the Romanian Ambassador in your country; and/or 5. Organise a demonstration at the Romanian Embassy in your country. Please feel free to contact ACCEPT (Bucharest Acceptance Group) if=20 you would like further information. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR=20 CONTINUED SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT. ADDRESS LIST: - THE PERMANENT BUREAU OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES: ADDRESS: Aleea Patriarhiei nr. 1, Bucuresti, Romania TEL: +40 1 615.94.27 FAX: +40 1 312-0828 E-MAIL: depro@dias.vsat.ro Mr Adrian NASTASE, president of the Chamber - THE PERMANENT BUREAU OF THE SENATE: ADDRESS: Piata Revolutiei nr. 1, sector I, Bucuresti FAX: +40 1 312-1752 E-MAIL: senatro@dias.vsat.ro Mr Oliviu GHERMAN, president of the Senate - THE GOVERNMENT OF ROMANIA: ADDRESS: Piata Victoriei nr. 1, Bucuresti, Romania FAX: +40 1 312-3814 Mr Nicolaie VACAROIU, Prime Minister - THE PRESIDENT OF ROMANIA: ADDRESS: Palatul Cotroceni, Bucuresti, Romania FAX: +40 1 312-1179 Mr Ion ILIESCU, President of Romania=20 - THE PARTY OF SOCIAL DEMOCRACY IN ROMANIA (PDSR): E-MAIL: pdsr@kappa.ro Mr Martian DAN, Vice-president, PDSR Parliamentary Group, Chamber of=20 Deputies Mr Ion SOLCANU, Vice-president, PDSR Parliamentary Group, Senate. - Please send copies to DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES OF ROMANIA in your=20 country. ACCEPT c/o APADOR-CH =F9 Calea Victoriei 120 =F9 70179 Bucuresti 1, ROMANIA Tel:(401)650.27.16 =F9 Fax: (401)312.45.28 =F9E-mail: ion@apador.sfos.ro A C C E P T The Bucharest Acceptance Group --=20 Ion Iacos APADOR - Romanian Helsinki Committee 120 Calea Victoriei, Bucharest 70179 tel & fax: +40-1-312-4528 ; +40-1-312-4443 E-mail: ion@apador.sfos.ro