Date: 23 Jan 97 11:41:01 EST
From: Tom Hoemig <100522.30@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Romanian Boycott

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GROUPS BOYCOTT ROMANIAN WINE

Gay and lesbian associations lead a global boycott to protest revised
Romanian penal code

Brussels, Belgium - 23 January 1997 - The International Lesbian and Gay
Association (ILGA), headquartered in Brussels, has called for an immediate
boycott of Romanian wine exports.

The boycott is in protest of Article 200 of the Romanian penal code.  The
Article maintains criminal status for homosexual acts and bans gay bars,
clubs, associations, media and organizations.  The vote by Romania's
parliament breaks a 1993 promise to decriminalize homosexuality and is a
violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.  The law condemns
Romania's gay and lesbian citizens to continuing state persecution and jail
sentences of up to five years.

The law threatens any same-sex relationships that cause a "public scandal"
with penalties of up to five years in jail.  A "public scandal" is simply
anything two or more people find offensive.  This broad legal definition is
an obvious attempt to portray the revision of the law as a
"decriminalization" of homosexuality while retaining criminal sanctions for
private, consensual same-sex relations.

"ILGA and its members cannot tolerate a government flagrantly violating not
only human rights, but also the promises made to the European Community,"
said ILGA Coordinator Lawrence Aronovitch.  "Europe has decided that its gay
and lesbian citizens deserve equality and non-discrimination.  It is
unconscionable that Romania would take this action and expect the world to
sit by quietly."

Romanian wine is the country's most visible consumer export, with total
annual sales of 25 million liters.  Ziad Dajani, who is coordinating the
boycott, has said that one company, Vinexport, has been specifically
targeted because "they are in a unique position to represent to the
government the impact of international outrage at the country's treatment of
gays, lesbians and bisexuals."  Vinexport accounts for 80 percent of all
wine exports from Romania.

ILGA plans to focus the boycott campaign in the main export markets of
Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Denmark,
Canada, Holland, Israel, Australia, Switzerland, Poland and Norway.

ILGA is a federation of 300 groups in 75 countries.  ILGA provides
coordination, information and education concerning the human rights of gays
and lesbians around the world.  Founded in 1978, ILGA has contributed to the
legalization of homosexuality in several countries and also provides
information and advice to organizations such as Amnesty International and
the European Council.

###

Contacts:

Ziad Dajani
Boycott Coordinator
Istanbul, Turkey
+90 212 245 2172
ziad@raglb.org.uk
www.raglb.org.uk/boyc.htm

Lawrence Aronovitch
ILGA Coordinator
Victoria BC Canada
+1 250 370 0340
lawrence@ilga.org