For Immediate Release, March 26, 2007
Media Contact: Hossein Alizadeh, 212-430-6016, halizadeh@iglhrc.org

(New York, NY, March 26, 2007) - The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) today called on political and religious leaders in Israel to ensure the safety of all participants in the March 28, 2007 ASWAT conference in Haifa by speaking out in support of free expression and assembly.

ASWAT, the only Palestinian lesbian organization in Israel, plans to celebrate its 5th anniversary with a book launch to call attention to the diversity and needs of their community. Since its founding, ASWAT has been devoted to providing a safe space for women with non-conforming sexual and gender identities and to combating discrimination against them. IGLHRC honored ASWAT and its leader, Rauda Morcos, in 2006 with the Felipa de Souza award for their courage, leadership and accomplishment as an important voice for human rights.

ASWAT’s conference and book launch has drawn threats from Islamic leaders that could severely threaten the rights and safety of conference participants. These leaders have called for the cancellation of the event, describing ASWAT as a “fatal cancer that should be forbidden from spreading out within the Arab society and from eliminating the Arab culture.”

“Open discussion and dialogue are essential to the guarantees of human rights for all who are targeted for discrimination and stigma,” said Paula Ettelbrick, Executive Director of IGLHRC. “The venomous nature of these threats serve not only to threaten free expression but to condone violence against ASWAT participants.”

IGLHRC joins ASWAT’s appeal for increased awareness and international participation in the March 28 conference and the need to protect the right to free expression and association.

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