ILGA-Europe: Coordinated Attacks on Fundamental Human Rights Across Europe

LGBTI people in numerous European countries have faced coordinated attacks over the past year, undermining freedom and democracy in Europe, according to a new report published today, February 18, 2025.

The 14th edition of the "Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People in Europe and Central Asia" by ILGA-Europe (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) warns of a new era of coordinated anti-LGBTI legislation, posing a serious threat to fundamental human rights. The report highlights that governments are fueling anti-LGBTI sentiment to push laws that restrict freedom of expression, association, and fair elections. The findings come from ILGA-Europe, an independent international organization uniting over 700 organizations from 54 countries across Europe and Central Asia.

Following Russia’s Model: Targeting “Foreign Agents”

Governments in some European countries are increasingly adopting Russia’s tactics, forcing NGOs to register as "foreign-funded" in an attempt to undermine their legitimacy, restrict funding, and suppress human rights activism. These so-called "foreign agent laws" are often justified as protecting traditional values and the family, yet they primarily target organizations advocating for LGBTI rights.

“In 2024 alone, proposed foreign agent laws in Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Montenegro, and Kyrgyzstan have posed a direct threat to civil society,” states ILGA-Europe.

Such legislation is often accompanied by so-called "anti-LGBTI propaganda laws," which aim to criminalize LGBTI visibility, ban content, silence activists, and restrict freedom of association. Identical bills have been proposed, debated, or enacted in seven countries across Europe and Central Asia, including Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Romania, and Slovakia.

These restrictions are particularly evident in education, where LGBTI topics are being erased from school curricula and awareness-raising initiatives. Countries that have introduced legislation excluding LGBTI topics from sexual education include Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania, Russia, and Slovakia.

Hate Crimes at Record Levels

Against this backdrop, hate speech against LGBTI people, sexism, and misogyny are becoming normalized, often fueled by public figures, including political and religious leaders, as well as state institutions. This rhetoric has led to an unprecedented wave of violence, with hate crimes reaching record levels across the region.

The normalization of hate has also been used to justify restrictions on healthcare for trans people. Countries such as Andorra, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Moldova, Romania, Russia, and the UK have tightened restrictions on transgender healthcare. Following the UK’s example, there have been attempts to ban or restrict medical care for trans youth in Austria, France, Italy, Ireland, and Poland, putting trans lives at even greater risk, the report states.

Europe "Closing Its Doors" to LGBTI Refugees

As repression intensifies in various countries, LGBTI people are being forced to flee, but Europe is closing its doors. Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey are escalating persecution, while Turkmenistan has even arrested and tortured LGBTI individuals.

Despite these threats, many European countries, including Bulgaria, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, and the UK, are denying asylum claims based on outdated and arbitrary assessments. Some officials reject applicants simply because they "do not look LGBTI enough."

A Human Rights and Democracy Crisis

“This report confirms what many of us have feared—we are entering a new era where LGBTI people have become test subjects for laws that undermine democracy itself,” says ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director, Chaber.

Across Europe and Central Asia, governments are using anti-LGBTI rhetoric to justify restrictions on free speech, civil society, and fair elections. What begins as an attack on LGBTI rights quickly escalates into a broader assault on the rights and freedoms of all people in society.

“This is not just an issue for the LGBTI community. It is a human rights and democracy crisis,” Chaber warns.

At the same time, courts across the EU and Europe continue to defend LGBTI human rights, issuing key rulings on asylum procedures, hate speech, freedom of association and expression, legal gender recognition, and reproductive rights.

However, governments cannot leave the protection of human rights solely in the hands of the courts, adds Catherine Hugendubel, ILGA-Europe’s Director of Advocacy.

Full Report and Country-Specific Findings
The full report can be accessed [here].

For country-specific findings on Bulgaria, click [here].