The head of the Resource Center for Human Rights (CReDO) Sergiu Ostaf said that there are no arguments justifying the Chisinau City Hall’s intention to change the place of the events planned by the Information Center “Genderdoc-M”, which defends the rights of the sexual minorities, for May 19, IPN reports.
“Not the demonstrators, but the opponents of the march are the source of possible problems. In this case, the court can only oblige obeying the law, offering protecting and guarantying the constitutional right to hold public meetings,” Sergiu Ostaf said in a news conference.
According to him, the intention is regrettable from public perspective. “The persons’ disagreement with the May 19 march should be expressed peacefully. The right to assembly of the LGBT community should not be infringed. The right to counter-protests is also a fundamental right, but must be exercised in accordance with the law,” said the CReDO director.
The LGBT march is staged to mark one year of the passing of the Law on Equality of Chances, which took effect on January 1. The Chisinau City Hall filed an application to court, asking changing the itinerary of the march. In a communiqué, the City Hall said that a number of people and public organizations reacted to the preliminary declaration submitted by “Genderdoc-M”. The Bishop of Balti and Falesti Markel called on the priests and the faithful to come together and oppose the march. Similar calls were made by other persons and religious organizations as well as politicians.
