3. SPEAKING UP FOR DIGNITY: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE CONTEXT OF LGBTI RIGHTS
“They want to silence people doing what we do ... So that there are no rainbow symbols, and Poland remains as it is, grayish-brown. Poland without minorities: without women and without queer people...” Anna, an activist who faced criminal charges for painting a Rainbow Halo on Virgin Mary
The exercise the right to freedom of expression is one of the remaining tools available for people willing to express dissent against growing discrimination of LGBTI people in Poland.264 The lack of visibility of LGBTI people, their scarce representation in public space, and the extent of criminalization of LGBTI rights defenders provides a clear indication of the barriers that the authorities are imposing on this marginalized and oppressed group.265
Amnesty International. Przełamać milczenie. Łamanie praw człowieka ze względu na orientację seksualną, 2003, amnesty.org.pl/prawaczłowieka-a-orientacja-seksualna/ 265 ODIHR, Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, 2014, pp. 9-11. 264
“THEY TREATED US LIKE CRIMINALS” FROM SHRINKING SPACE TO HARASSMENT OF LGBTI ACTIVISTS Amnesty International
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