Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 11:56:56 +0200 (MET DST) From: skolander@bahnhof.se (Bjoern Skolander) Subject: Romanian Prime Minister to Visit The Netherlands I today received the enclosed message from the Romanian human and gay rights activist Ion Iacos. He is asking for protest actions in The Netherlands in connection with a visit of the Romanian Prime Minister May 7-8, 1996. The Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hans van Mierlo, has already been faxed a letter of protest regarding the situation for gays in Romania, signed by 108 members of the euro-queer and queerplanet mailing lists. A strong protest action during Nicolae Vacaroiu's visit would focus further on Romania's human rights violations. A well planned action would probably also attract media attention, something which might have an impact on the Romanian Prime Minister. Support gay and lesbian Romania! Bjoern Skolander skolander@bahnhof.se ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 19:26:06 gmt From: Ion Iacos To: Bjorn.Skolander@nordiska.uu.se Subject: Romanian Prime Minister Dear friends, ACCEPT learned this week that the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Vacaroiu, will be making an official visit to the Netherlands May 7-8, at the invitation of the Dutch Government. Attached for your information is the letter addressed by ACCEPT to HE Monique Frank, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Romania. If you or someone that you know can support a strong protest action on this occasion, we would be very grateful for your help. ----------------------------------- 23 April 1996 Her Excellency, Monique Frank Ambassador of the Netherlands to Romania Embassy of the Netherlands Str. Atena 18 72771 Bucharest ROMANIA Dear Madame Ambassador: We learned this week that the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae V\c\roiu, will be making an official visit to the Netherlands early next month at the invitation of your Government. We understand that he will be meeting with Her Majesty Queen Beatrix, Prime Minister Wim Kok and other Dutch officials. We are writing to respectfully request that your Government convey to Mr. V\c\roiu - at every opportunity - its unqualified support for the repeal of Romania's anti- homosexual legislation, and urge Romania to bring its laws into compliance with European human rights standards. Since the fall of the Ceau[escu regime in December 1989, Romania has committed itself to respecting regional and international human rights standards. But many obstacles remain. One of these obstacles is the continuing failure of Romanian society to recognise that democracy entitles citizens to both a public and a private life, and that genuine democracy can only exist when the human identities of individual citizens are respected. We believe that it is within this context that the plight of gays and lesbians in Romania must be understood. As you know, Romania is the only member state of the Council of Europe that continues to condemn its citizens to prison for engaging in consensual same-sex relations. The refusal by Romanian authorities to acknowledge the legitimate rights of homosexuals and to allow them any form of public expression is unconstitutional, anti- democratic and a blatant violation of international human rights. The right to privacy and the right to assemble peacefully in public spaces are, and must be, the cornerstones of any country that calls itself a "democracy." We believe that a society that would deny these rights to gays and lesbians today might well deny them to everyone tomorrow. And such a society has no place in the European Union. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as the European Parliament, have strongly urged their member states to change their legislation to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In September 1993, Romania was admitted as a member of the Council of Europe, despite its anti-homosexual legislation. At the time, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council urged Romania to "change its legislation in such a way that: ... "(ii) Article 200 of the Penal Code will no longer consider as a criminal offence homosexual acts perpetrated in private between consenting adults." Yet, the Romanian Parliament has repeatedly ignored the Council's recommendation. Indeed, only last month, the Romanian Senate approved a draft law to revise Romania's Communist-era penal code that would continue to prosecute consensual same-sex relations among adults, and would, for the first time, forbid the association of gays and lesbians in Romania. This draft law, except for a few commas and periods, is identical to one rejected by the Chamber of Deputies last Fall. However, since 1996 is a critical election year in Romania, there is no guarantee that it will be rejected again. The Chamber of Deputies is to begin debate on revisions to the Penal Code soon. A clear message from the Dutch Government that it strongly opposes Romania's continuing state-sponsored discrimination against gays and lesbians could be critical to the outcome of the current debate. We urge your Government, in the strongest possible terms, to ensure that this message is conveyed. As you know, ACCEPT is an effort of Romanian citizens and expatriates living in Romania to promote and protect the rights of Romania's sexual minorities. We are grateful for the steadfast support you and your Government have given to Romania's sexual minorities in the past, and hope that this support will continue. We would welcome a response to this appeal. We have the honour to remain, Respectfully yours, Ion Iaco[ Michael H"lscher cc: Hon. Jan de Roy, Royal Dutch Embassy, Bucharest HE Karen Fogg, Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Commission, Bucharest Human Rights Directorate - Council of Europe, Strasbourg C.O.C., Amsterdam Dacia Foundation, Amsterdam Amnesty International - Dutch Section, Amsterdam Amnesty International, London ACCEPT c/o APADOR-CH " Calea Victoriei 120 " 70179 Bucuresti 1, ROMANIA Tel:(401)650.27.16 " Fax: (401)312.45.28 "E-mail: ion@apador.sfos.ro -- Ion Iacos e-mail: ion@apador.sfos.ro