Czech EU presidency condemns homophobia to mark gay rights day

On Sunday, the Czech presidency of the European Union condemned discrimination against gays and lesbians, marking International Day against Homophobia, which was celebrated in more than 50 countries. In a statement, the EU’s Czech presidency said that it rejected and condemned any manifestation of homophobia, calling the phenomenon a ‘blatant violation of human dignity’. The presidency said it was deeply concerned by the use of the death penalty in parts of the world to punish those found guilty of being homosexual. The EU urged authorities to ensure that ‘sexual orientation and gender identity may under no circumstance be the basis for criminal penalties’.

Author: Rosie Johnston