Serbian Gays Plead For Protection
Thanks to fellow blogger, Andy, at UK Gay News, for reporting on this horrific story out of Serbia. i met Andy at the LGBTQ Blogger Summit in D.C. earlier this month. When i read this disturbing story it sickened me, especially since i have spent time in Belgrade, Serbia. i was not out then, but i found the people to be lovely, helpful, and extremely friendly. So this news just blew me away. This is why the UN Signatories decriminalizing homosexuality is so very important.Homophobia and bigotry of any kind must NOT be tolerated ANYWHERE!
BELGRADE, December 25, 2008 – Please protect us. That is the plea tonight from gays and lesbian in Serbia to their government, the police and the wider world this holiday season.
The staff and contributors of the Serbian gay and lesbian website Querria Centre, are constantly receiving death threats and threats of physical violence, it emerged this evening.
“Every day threats are being sent to the website’s official email address to the effect that the website is going to be hacked, that we are sick people who should be treated, that all of us (LGBT population) should be killed,” said Predrag Azdejković, the editor of Queeria and one of the main targets.
“Such threats are also posted among the comments made on the website.”
Two anti-Queeria groups have been formed on the Facebook website. One is called “Queeria, Pederi Marš iz Srbije” (Queeria, queers get out of Serbia) and has 406 members – it was created a month ago by Darko Ilic. (see screenshot below)
The other group is “СТОП ПЕДЕРИМА - КВИРИЈИ!” (Stop queers – Queeria) with 2,554 members and was created by Ivan Ivanovic.
Both are “open groups”.
Members of both groups are publicly advocating death threats to the activists at Queeria, whose photographs, Queeria say, are circulating among the members of both groups.
Additionally, the groups are advocating breaking and entering the Queeria Centre premises, as well as the homes of gay activists.
The groups suggest violence against all gays and lesbians population.
Read the rest of the story here.
