HRW asks S.Korea Pres.to Allow Gay Pride
Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental international group, has written to President Park Geun-hye asking her to permit a street parade by sexual minorities scheduled for June 28.
The parade is planned as the final event of the annual Korea Queer Festival, but police in Seoul have refused permission.
"The South Korean government should protect the freedom of assembly and expression of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and their allies instead of forbidding them to assemble and march on the streets of Seoul," according to the letter, sent on Friday.
The letter was from the NGO's Asia Director Brad Adams and Graeme Reid, program director for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
It was also addressed to Acting prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan, Police Agency Commissioner General Kang Sin-myeong and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Go Dun-su.
The gay festival, which began last week, has been drawing fierce protests from local Christians, who argue that homosexuality is a "sin" and therefore the festival should be called off. Protesters have staged rallies at Seoul Plaza, where the festival's opening ceremony took place.
On May 30, festival organizers asked Namdaemun Police Station to allow the parade, but police refused.
They cited two reasons: Possible traffic congestions in central Seoul and possible clashes with religious groups.
"Parades, by their nature, disrupt traffic and a professional police force like the one in Seoul should be able to manage those disruptions, and even conflicting demonstrations, without resorting to shutting down the march," the letter said.
"Last year, opponents took illegal direct action to block the parade route themselves by lying down on the streets. This year, the Seoul police effectively gave those groups a veto over the parade, rather than finding a way to accommodate it."
The NGO also claimed police decision ran counter to the government's recent moves internationally.
In 2011 and 2014, Korea voted for United Nations Human Rights Council resolutions that "called for an end to violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and that authorized development of global reports on the status of LGBT rights."
"The South Korean government should fulfill its obligation to protect demonstrators in the nation's capital ― by permitting the parade to enable marchers to bring their views to the attention of the broader public in Seoul and by providing meaningful security during the events," the letter said.
Namdaemun police said they made the decision independently, and denied possible NAP or SMPA involvement.
By Kim Se-jeong
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