From: International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission Date: 08 Feb 94 09:37 PST Subject: ROMANIA:Senate vs. Civil Society INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 514 Castro Street, San Francisco, California 94114 USA Tel. 415.255.8680 Fax 415.255.8662 Urgent Press Release February 7, 1994 Contact: Jorge Cortinas, (415) 255-8680 Romania Keeps Anti-Gay Laws -- Fails to Satisfy Human Rights Groups The Romanian Senate failed to dispel criticisms of its draconian anti-gay laws when it moved last week to legalize only those gay and lesbian relations that do not cause "public scandal". Instead, human rights and lesbian and gay advocates called the newest legislation "a cosmetic change to the same repressive status quo," according to a statement issued today by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). For the last year Romania has been strongly criticized by human rights and lesbian and gay advocates for its total ban on lesbian and gay sex. The efforts of advoactes were boosted when the Council of Europe approved a resolution last September calling on Romania to repeal its sodomy law. The change in language approved by the Senate is largely seen as an attempt to comply with that Council of Europe resolution. Under the current Romanian penal code, Article 200, paragraph 1, imposes a total ban on lesbian and gay relations with a prison sentence of 1 to 5 years for any gay or lesbian sexual relationship. The modified version passed by the Senate last week outlaws sexual relations between persons of the same gender "if they cause public scandal." Paragraph 5 punishes with 1-5 years in prison any attempt to publicly or privately promote homosexuality, a new prohibition that could lead to prison terms for those involved in gay publications and organizations. "Romania seems intent on pursuing the narrowest interpretation of very clear directives from the Council of Europe, satisfying the letter of those requests but still maintaining the same repressive status quo," said Jorge Cortinas, Program Director with the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). "This cynical maneuver would leave unchanged Romania's juridical persecution of gay people". In other actions, the Romanian senate passed a law punishing with 1-5 years in prison anyone found guilty of defaming Romania. The Senate also considered two separate government proposes to jail journalists who insult public figures, and require all Romanian nationals to register with the police any foreigner who spends more then twelve hours in their home. The last measure was especially striking because it echoes one of the previous regimes most resented laws, dictator Ceausecu's requirement that all contact with foreigners be reported to authorities. Lesbian and gay activists maintained that the move to outlaw public discussion of homosexuality should be viewed in the broader context of the newest authoritarian measures. "This is part and parcel of a campaign by an increasingly authoritarian government against liberties basic to democratic society" said Scott Long, an IGLHRC representative based in Cluj, Romania. "It's not just gays and lesbians who are at risk in Romania now. The government is trying to restrict freedoms of speech and assembly for every social group." The legislation passed by the Romanian Senate is now forwarded to the Chamber of Deputies where it is also expected to be approved. According to Long, the arrest, prosecution, torture and harassment of gay Romanians has continued unabated since President Ceausescu's regime. At least 57 persons are thought to be currently incarcerated for reportedly engaging in consensual sex acts with adults of the same gender. # # #