Lawmakers in Latvia on Thursday rejected a bill that sought to ban "homosexual propaganda" in the mass media, Agence France-Presse reports.

The populist Latvia First Party had prepared draft amendments to laws that govern what the media can and cannot do. The measures would have made it illegal to publish articles about or interviews with gays and lesbians in which they talk about their lives or gay rights.

The changes were necessary to "ensure that the mass media do not weaken the role of the family institution, do not split society, and do not create a misconception about a group of individuals claiming special treatment due to their beliefs," the party said in a statement.

Media analyst Anda Rozukalne said the proposed amendments went against Latvian and international law, speculating that the Latvia First Party was trying to tap into homophobia in the Baltic state, which it saw as a vote-getter for next month's general election.

"Latvia First believes that homophobia is a mother lode that will help them to attract more voters," Rozukalne told AFP.

Discrimination in the workplace against gays and lesbians has been banned by lawmakers in Latvia, reversing an earlier decision that earned them sharp criticism both at home and abroad, Agence France-Presse reports. Forty-six of the 84 lawmakers present in the 100-seat parliament for the session voted on Thursday in favor of an amendment to impose the ban, 35 against, and three abstained.

The decision reverses a vote in June that failed to endorse a ban on discrimination against employees who are part of sexual minorities, drawing stinging attacks not only from human rights and gay and lesbian groups but also from Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, says AFP.

Kalvitis slammed parliamentarians' alleged disregard for serious issues and accused them of intolerance, while Vike-Freiberga vetoed the legislation, telling parliament to review it to ensure that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is clearly banned in Latvia.

RIGA and BRUSSELS, November 20, 2005 – The Lativan Saeima (Parliament) has confirmed this afternoon the nomination of Jānis Šmits as the chairperson of the Saeima’s Human Rights and Social Affairs Committee. And Europe is outraged.

The politician from the LLP (First Party of Latvia) was elected by a 5-3 vote of the committee.

Mr. Šmits has a history of hate speech and incitement to hatred an violence towards gay men an women – he was most vocal against the first two Riga Prides – in 2005 and earlier this year – and initiated the deletion of “sexual orientation” from the labour law, having no regard for a European Union directive.

Additionally, he has actively expressed opposition to any advance of LGBT rights.

There was immediate and vociferous reaction in Brussels to the election of Jānis Šmits.

The appointment of Latvia’s new human rights committee head, priest Janis Smits, has again been called into question after the fundamentalist Christian called on gay people to keep their sexuality behind closed doors.

In an interview with the Latvian press, Smits said homosexuality was a consequence of human lewdness and a sin that might cost people eternal life.

He called on gay people to “return from their sins” and “recover normal sexual orientation.” Yet, in the same interview, he said gay people had the same rights and obligations as any Latvian citizen.

The divisive remarks have again raised concerns about the appropriateness of Smits’ appointment, which was challenged by several non-governmental organizations. Prior to his selection, several groups said Smits had propagated homophobia and ignored human rights. The secretary general of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis, also voiced concerns about Smits’ appointment.

The Latvian National Police will launch a criminal prosecution case against Viktors Birze, the head of a radical right-wing nationalist party National Force Union, for inciting public disorder during a sexual minorities festival last summer.

The Riga regional prosecutor’Äôs office said that Birze and one of his supporters, Valdis Rosans, will be prosecuted for hooliganism in a group, causing bodily injuries and damage of property, and showing resistance to law enforcement authorities.

Under the Latvian Penal Law, such crimes carry a sentence of up to seven years in jail.

[...]

The court imposed administrative punishments on some of the detainees, but the prosecutor's office appealed the court's decision, believing that criminal procedures should be launched.

One of Sweden's most distinguished diplomats has donated his fee from presenting a gay TV series to Riga Pride. Sverker Åström, 88, is a former Swedish diplomat, ambassador and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[...]

Last year Sverker Åström took part in the TV show Böglobbyn, which he later criticised for not being serious enough and enforcing stereotypes about gay people.

He has decided to donate his £2,180 fee to Stockholm Pride and RFSL (Swedish national LGBT rights organisation) with the condition that half of this money will be given to the organisers of the Friendship Days/Riga Pride 2007 and the other half used towards improving the rights of LGBT people in Eastern Europe.

"With this donation I want to help LGBT people in Eastern Europe who are facing a difficult situation" said Sverker Åström.

[...]

Ulrika Westerlund, chairperson of Stockholm Pride, said: "We are glad that through our solidarity fund we can provide even greater support our sister organisation in Latvia."

Kristine Garina, chairperson of Latvian gay rights organisation Mozaika, thanked Mr Åström, RFSL and Stockholm Pride for their trust and promised that the donation will be used wisely.

I'd like to see a lot more of this kind of thing, though. For instance, how's about Toronto Gay Pride use their undeniable visibility and prominence to launch a fundraiser and awareness campaign on behalf of JFLAG in Jamaica, or the Blue Diamond Society in Nepal, or any one of dozens of other places where queers face brutal repression, such as Iran or Iraq? Or how about even raising some funds and other donations to provide *much* needed funds for homeless queer kids who have been thrown out on the streets? Forget about "improving our image" for the straights -- how's about doing it simply because it's the right thing to do, and 'coz if we don't look after our own we can hardly complain when a bunch of straights won't either?

In 2000 Pride Toronto registered a trademark on the word PRIDE (all capitals) in the context of "staging of an annual celebration and informational, educational and cultural festival by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgendered people."

Pride Toronto co-chair David Anderson told Xtra West last May that Pride Toronto reserved the Canadian trademark because private groups in Toronto--like some large circuit party promoters and corporations--were staging Pride events, making fat profits, confusing potential Pride Toronto sponsors, luring celebrants away from official Pride events, and not contributing much to the community.

In the meantime, Pride Toronto formed a national organization of Pride groups called Fierté Canada Pride, of which VPS vice president Aviva Lazar is a board member. The purpose of Fierté Canada Pride is to hold and defend the Pride trademark for legitimate, not-for-profit, community Pride societies.

Several British and Swedish officials have come out in support of Riga Friendship Days 2007, Latvia's annual pride celebration. British ambassador Ian Bond; Jean Lambert, a British representative of the European parliament; and Swedish rear admiral Anders Grenstad have all expressed their desire to see the upcoming weekend filled with celebration rather than controversy.

Many Latvians, including government officials, have voiced their opposition to the festivities. However, the European Union Human Rights Commission explicitly outlines the right to peaceful demonstration.

[...]

At a reception Friday evening in the Reval Hotel, Ambassador Bond expressed support for the events over the four-day Pride festival. “I am more and more confident that Sunday’s parade will be peaceful,” he said in a press release from the Web site U.K. Gay News. He also said that the British government is committed to addressing the problems faced by sexual minorities across the globe.

“This is a high priority for the government,” he stated in the press release, adding that British Foreign Office Minister Ian McCartney had outlined the U.K.'s commitment in a statement on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia.