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LITHUANIA DECRIMINALIZES HOMOSEXUALITY (Feb. 1992 Action)

        On June 11, 1993 the Lithuanian Parliament repealed Paragraph 1 of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, 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 furter delay.

Write to:
1. Prime Minister Gediminas Bagorius, Office of the Prime Minister,
Tumo-Vaivganto 2, Vilnius 232039, Lithuania, FAX +370 2 619953

2. Vytautas Pakalniskas, Minister of Justice, Lentjuviu 24, Vilnius 232755,
Lithuania, FAX +370 2 353725

3. Algida Saudargas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tumo-Vaivganto 2, Vilnius
232034,
Lithuania, FAX +370 2 620752

4. (For U.S>. ERN Participants) Ambassador Stasys Lozoraitis, Jr., Embassy of
Lithuania, 2622 16th St. NW, Washington DC 20009; FAX 202-328-0466