Questions to Commission and Council on international police and justice cooperation and LGBTI rights

Source: S.H. (Sophie) in 't Veld i, published on Wednesday, August 8 2018.

Today Sophie in 't Veld submitted the following questions to the Commission and Council, following the news that a 16 year old Russian boy was found guilty of "propaganda of homosexuality among minors", and fined 50,000 rubles for publishing pictures in a Russian social network.

Question for written answer

to the Commission / Council

Rule 130

Sophia in 't Veld (ALDE), Daniele Viotti (S&D)

Subject: International police and justice cooperation and LGBTI rights

International police and justice cooperation in the fight against serious crime and terrorism between the EU and third countries is increasing. While this can be valuable in countering real crimes, the exchange of information and personal information might also (indirectly and/or unintentionally) help the third country authorities to prosecute innocent people. Some of these third countries have different ‘crimes’ in their penal codes than Member States. For example, in Russia, “propaganda for nontraditional sexual relations” to minors constitutes a crime.

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    Does the Commission / Council agree that in police and justice cooperation with Russia, and in particular the exchange of information and personal information, information can never be shared with the Russian authorities that would put at risk LGBTI people, human rights defenders and NGOs?
  • - 
    How will the Commission / Council ensure that no information is ever shared in the framework of international police and justice cooperation with the Russian authorities that would endanger these groups?

Photo: EPA / Igor Kharitonov

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