24 maj, 2006
av: HoF och Värnpliktsrådet

As representatives of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered in the Swedish Armed Forces we hereby express our strong support for the Moscow Pride this coming weekend. We feel a strong admiration for the organisers’ intention to manage the manifestation even though the Russian authorities have forbidden them to do so.

We know that the everyday situation for many LGBT persons in Russia includes oppression and hatred. The situation for LGBT persons in the Russian military is no exception - on the contrary! Russian colleagues tell us that they are forced into a life of complete silence and constant fear.

Russia is one of our neighbouring countries, and we cannot remain silent while the rights of LGBT persons in Russia are being violated. We believe that military organisations have the responsibility to preserve the rights of those in these military organisations. Our mission, wherever we are in the civilised world, is to protect democracy and the values upon which it rests. That makes protecting human rights the most central issue.

LGBT rights are human rights. To acknowledge that takes courage and insight, and if any of the senior Officers in Russian Armed Forces believe that LGBT rights are human rights we expect that they express that standpoint forcefully. The right to love and freedom of speech must be defended from men like Mr. Yuri Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow.