Poland rejects the claim that LGBT rights are denied in the country

Polish leaders refused to admit that the LGBT people in the country are denied of their rights despite the fact that the community has faced a strong negative response from the right-wing government, Catholic church and many other local communities.

The rejection follows an open letter from 50 ambassadors and international representatives pointing out the need to work for “non-discrimination, tolerance and mutual acceptance”.

The letter highlighted that the human rights are universal and they apply to everyone including LGBT persons.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki rejected the claims of the ambassadors saying that tolerance is inherent to Polish people and Poland has given many testimonies to the history of such tolerance.

Some of Poland’s leaders, including the president and MPs from the ruling party, deem the LGBT movement as a threat to traditional families. President Andrzej Duda went to the extent of calling LGBT rights an “ideology” more dangerous than communism.

Many towns in conservative parts of eastern and southern Poland have passed mostly symbolic resolutions declaring themselves to be free from “LGBT ideology”.

They are of the view that young people will be demoralised by the movement.

“Human Rights are not an ideology – they are universal,” US ambassador Georgette Mosbacher tweeted. “50 Ambassadors and Representatives agree.”

Joachim Brudzinski, deputy head of the ruling Law and Justice party who is now a European Parliament member, reacted to Ms Mosbacher on Monday, saying “we in Poland also agree”.

Ms Mosbacher said that they are waiting for the next letter concerned with some other issues including the persecution of Christians, the dismissal of employees for quoting Bible and enforcement of euthanasia.

Mr Brudzinski’s arguments are not clear since Poland is a predominantly Catholic nation where Christians do not face persecution and where abortion is illegal in most cases and euthanasia is outlawed.

However, an IKEA employee in Poland was fired for citing Biblical passages to suggest gay people should be killed.

The current government has spoken in the employee’s defense and a state prosecutor is suing the IKEA manager who fired him.