Amnesty to march at Pride in London for LGBT people in Belarus
Human rights charity Amnesty International has announced that it will march at Pride in London this weekend on behalf of LGBT people in Belarus.
In a statement on the Amnesty site, the charity notes that there are currently no official registered LGBT organisations, and such organisations are continually denied applications to register, often citing administrative “mistakes”.
Following failed applications, Amnesty notes that organisers are subjected to police raids and investigations, as well as verbal and physical abuse.
In a video, activist Ihar Tsikhanyuk discusses problems he faces as an openly gay activist and drag performer in Belarus.
“I don’t want to hide myself. I live openly. It is not easy in Belarus, but I want to show people that I am a person like everybody. Maybe with my example I want to show that it is possible to live openly,” he says.
Ihar says he was beaten by police earlier this year after being unlawfully detained whilst receiving treatment in hospital.
The video is available to view below.
