Home > Take Action > Action Alerts

Lithuania: Parliament Decriminalizes Homosexuality
07/01/1993

On June 11, 1993, the Lithuanian Parliament repealed Paragraph 1 of Article 122 of the Criminal Code, which outlawed consensual sex between adult men. Still in effect, however, is Paragraph 2, which criminalizes sex between men involving violence, a state of helplessness, or dependence of one of the individuals, as well as male homosexual sex with a minor. While these should obviously remain criminal activities, they should be applied under the same criminal codes as heterosexuals. Additionally, there are allegations that through coerced testimony, fabricated evidence, or entrapment, gay men have been punished under Paragraph 2 to lengthen their sentences. Write or fax letters to the officials below, warmly congratulating them on their furthering of human rights in Lithuania, and in particular for gay and lesbian people, and urge that all prisoners still incarcerated under Article 122, Paragraph 1 be released immediately. Demand that any abuses of Paragraph 2 be investigated and stopped without further delay.

Write to:

Prime Minister Gediminas Bagnorius

Office of the Prime Minister
Tumo-Vaivganto 2
Vilnius 232039
Lithuania
FAX: +370 2 619953

Vytautas Pakalniskas, Minister of Justice

Lentjuviu 24
Vilnius 232755
Lithuania
FAX: +370 2 353725

Algidas Saudargas, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Tumo-Vaivganto 2
Vilnius 232034
Lithuania
FAX: +370 2 620752

Ambassador Stasys Lozoraitis, Jr.
Embassy of Lithuania

2622 16th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
FAX: 202-328-0466