Turkey must uphold its domestic and international commitments, and dismiss all charges against 19 human rights defenders, prosecuted for their participation in a peaceful Pride march at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara in May 2019, says Europe’s largest LGBTI rights umbrella organisation, ILGA-Europe.

The publication today of a five-year EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy marks a qualitative shift from the European Commission towards playing its full role to defend and protect LGBTI rights in times of real backlash, says Europe’s largest LGBTI umbrella organisation, ILGA-Europe.

The European Commission and member states are duty bound to hold Poland accountable to EU Treaties, asserts ILGA-Europe, alongside two Polish equality organisations, in a legal complaint citing the violation of fundamental rights of the EU by inciting hatred and discrimination against LGBTI people.

After nearly 2 years of mounting pressure, things came to a boiling point yesterday, August 7, in Warsaw. A spontaneous protest related to the “preventative detention” of an LGBTI activist, Margot Szutowicz, resulted in 48 arrests and extensive police brutality last night. More protests, and more arrests, are expected today as the repression of LGBTI people goes unabated.

In the judgement Rana v. Hungary delivered today, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held that Hungary had breached its obligation to protect the right to private life under Article 8 of the Convention by rejecting the application of an Iranian transgender refugee to have his name and sex marker changed officially.

TGEU, ILGA-Europe, IGLYO, and OII Europe condemn decision of Hungarian Parliament to follow the government and restrict access to fundamental rights for trans and intersex people.

There has been little progress in the lived experience of LGBTI people in Europe over the past seven years. This is a clear message coming out of the report on the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)  2nd LGBTI survey published yesterday.

In light of the COVID-19 crisis, the annual ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map shows we have come to a pivotal moment for LGBTI people’s human rights in the region.

In a judgement delivered on 23 April 2020, the European Court of Justice (CJEU) held that statements made by a lawyer during a radio programme, saying he would never recruit a “homosexual” or wish to use the services of such persons, fall within the material scope of EU Directive 2000/78 (‘the anti-discrimination directive’).

ILGA-Europe and Transgender Europe, the two largest networks of LGBTI and trans organisations in Europe and Central Asia, representing over 800 organisations and groups across the region collectively, are calling on the Hungarian Parliament and the Justice Committee of the Parliament to drop Article 33 of a legislative omnibus bill, which would deny access to legal gender recognition in the country.

Amid rising hate speech and crime, vulnerable people across Europe find themselves disconnected from the popular story of the region’s success in securing LGBTI rights, major human rights review finds.

A letter sent today (27 January) to the Croatian Presidency by ILGA-Europe and the Equal Rights Association (ERA) stresses that opening accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania is critical in protecting LGBTI rights.

Today, the European Court of Human Rights found Lithuania’s failure to investigate online hateful comments against a gay couple to violate their rights to private and family life as well as being discriminatory on the ground of sexual orientation.

Civil Rights Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Front Line Defenders and International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe) call upon Turkish authorities to drop all charges against 19 LGBTI+ rights defenders due to stand trial on 12 November 2019 in Ankara

As a sharp rise in hate attacks on LGBTI communities in Hungary, Serbia and Poland is reported, ILGA-Europe calls for the EU Commission to step […]

Europe is at a dangerous crossroads and that’s why this is a critical time for the Commission to adopt a comprehensive LGBTI strategy over the […]

In a decision issued this morning (17 September), the romanian constitutional court has approved a proposal (by 7 votes to 2) to hold a referendum on […]

With the highest voter turnout the European elections has seen since 1994, so too arrives the largest number of MEPs elected committed to LGBTI equality. ILGA-Europe […]

Rainbow Europe 2019 reveals not only a standstill in a significant number of European countries but a visible backslide on laws and policies safeguarding equality and […]

ILGA-Europe and 21 other civil society organisations and unions today launch #ElectNoHate, our joint call for EU elections campaigning free from hate speech and divisive […]

From the landmark Coman Case to the ban on LGBTI events in Ankara ILGA-Europe’s 2019 Annual Review reveals both achievements gained and challenges ahead for […]