Equality Council: CMC decision may lead to discrimination and stigmatization

Equality Council: CMC decision may lead to discrimination and stigmatization

The Council for the Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Ensuring Equality found the discriminatory nature of Decision No. 2/2 adopted by the Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC) on May 15, 2025. The document concerned the holding of public meetings “with sensitive topics regarding gender identity and sexual orientation in the municipality of Chisinau”.

The complaint was forwarded to the Council by the Chisinau Territorial Office of the State Chancellery, which requested the examination of the decision in light of the legislation on non-discrimination. Following the analysis, the Council determined that the measures adopted by the CMC contravene national and international standards on human rights and equality before the law.

The CMC decision – an unjustified restriction of freedom of assembly

The Council emphasized that the decision adopted by the CMC introduces an indirect ban on the holding of assemblies targeting the rights of LGBTQ+ persons, thus creating discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Furthermore, the Council noted that the local authorities did not present objective and proportionate justifications for such a restrictive measure, violating the constitutional provisions and ECHR standards on freedom of expression and assembly.

Recommendations of the Equality Council

The Council recommends that the municipal authorities annul Decision No. 2/2 and strongly opposes initiatives that stigmatize or isolate vulnerable groups. It also emphasizes that local authorities have the obligation to guarantee the right to assembly equally for all persons, without discrimination.

The CMC decision was adopted in a tense context, on the eve of the Moldova Pride Festival, provoking strong reactions from human rights organizations, the LGBTQ+ community and Western embassies in Chisinau. Critics denounced the measure as an attempt to limit the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community and a violation of the constitutional right to free speech and assembly.