Anti-gay Latvian MP given key job

The Latvian parliament has elected a controversial anti-gay rights activist as head of its human rights committee.

Janis Smits, who is a member of Latvia's First Party, is a leading figure speaking out against the activities of gay rights groups.

He has campaigned against the introduction of legislation to protect people from discrimination on the grounds of their sexual orientation.

European gay rights activists have condemned the appointment.

'Blatant disregard'

Mr Smits has described homosexuality as a sin and homosexuals as degenerate.

In June he proposed that Latvia should cut references to sexual orientation from a bill banning discrimination, describing it as "the legalisation of sexual perversions".

Though MPs backed him, the whole bill was eventually made law after the Latvian president refused to sign the amended version.

Mr Smits' appointment as the head of parliament's human rights committee has been described as "appalling" by local human rights organisations and provoked international dismay.

Members of the European Parliament's gay and lesbian rights group said that Latvian MPs had shown a blatant disregard of the candidate's prior history of incitements to hatred and violence.

And the London-based human-rights group Amnesty International has said it will raise his appointment with the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, who is due to meet the Latvian prime minister on Friday.

Mr Smits' party colleagues say he has pledged to uphold the rights of all sectors of society.

They say Mr Smits will base his judgments not only on Latvian law but also on holy writ, which they say he holds to be a handbook of brotherly love.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Latvian government
International Lesbian and Gay Association - Europe
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