Disinfo: Gay fascism has long been present in Europe and the US

Summary

Sodomy threatens national security and the survival of Belarusians. Gay fascism has long been the case in Europe and the US. A dictatorship of minority human rights aims at the destruction of traditional family values. This is a war against the family which prevents children from being born, i.e. a genocide of a rival nation. For Belarusians, to live so close to Europe and to remain normal is a real heroic act.

Disproof

This message attacks the LGBTI community in Belarus and contains recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the moral decay of Europe and the propaganda of the morally corrupt West. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that the West is degrading, that it exports perversity, brings sodomy to Belarus through Polish Catholic priests and promotes the concept of feminine men. Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalised in Belarus in 1994. However, the systematic restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association in Belarus lead to discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community, the May 2019 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus says that Belarus legislation does not have any laws specifically protecting sexual minorities from discrimination. The report reads: "Article 64.9 of the Criminal Code foresees aggravating circumstances for crimes motivated by “hatred or hostility towards any social group”. However, the term “social group” is very vague and prosecutions taking into account the article in regard to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community are reported as rare." See here for more information about the LGBTI rights in Belarus.

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teleskop-by.org (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 153
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28/05/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Belarus
  • Keywords: Western values, West, European values, LGBT, Europe
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Disinfo: Ukrainian agents and extremists may be preparing acts of sabotage in Crimea

Ukrainian intelligence services and members of extremist organisations may be preparing acts of sabotage in Crimea, namely in the Kerch strait, and provocations against Russian and foreign ships visiting Crimean harbours, according to the chief of the border guard of the Federal Security Service of Russia (FS), general Vladimir Kulishov.

May 27, 2019
Disproof

No evidence is provided to support the allegation. These affirmations are consistent with the recurrent Russian narrative of Crimea as legally "reunified" with Russia and Ukraine as a destabilizing force, and Russia's claims about the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait incident. These messages have intensified after the hearing of the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea on May 10 about the detention of Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait. Russia refused to take part in the hearing, saying that the court had no jurisdiction in this case, and is trying to change the framework by insisting in "provocations" by the other part. You can see other examples of this narrative here and here.

Disinfo: The Eastern Partnership Policy was set up against Russia

The basic problem with the Eastern Partnership is that it was set up to create an EU zone of influence against Russia in its Eastern neighbourhood. […] As long as Russia is regarded and treated as an enemy, or even an adversary, this policy is inevitably directed against the largest European country and forces Moscow to take appropriate defensive measures. If Europe wants security, it can only be achieved together with Russia.

May 27, 2019
Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the West, and in this case the EU, of encircling Russia.

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Read more about the Eastern Partnership and its priorities here. The Eastern Partnership initiative is not against any country; it is a mutually beneficial and constructive platform for countries in the region to build a closer relationship with the EU, if they choose to do so. The EU does not demand any of its partners to make a choice between the EU or any other country. The Eastern Partnership stands for good neighbourly relations and respects the individual aspirations and ambitions of each partner country. There was in fact a clear record of strong cooperation between the EU and Russia, dating back to 1994, when the two sides negotiated a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Russia was identified as a strategic partner for the EU, and was the only country with which the EU held summits not once, but twice a year. A new EU-Russia agreement was being negotiated up until 2014, at which point talks were suspended due to Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Negotiations were also in train on visa facilitation. There was also cooperation between the EU and Russia on a number of foreign policy issues, some of which continue to this day. The EU and its Member States have maintained a clear policy of reaching out to Russian society and youth, mainly through the Erasmus+ student exchange programme and other people to people contacts. Read more on the most repeated myths about the Eastern Partnership initiative here.

Disinfo: There was a coup d’état in Kyiv in February 2014

Reacting to the coup d’état in Kyiv in February 2014, the authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol declared the peninsula independent.

May 27, 2019
Disproof

There was no coup d’état in Kyiv in 2014, this is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the Euromaidan and the Crimea Referendum. The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was a reaction of numerous parts of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the promised Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. See the full debunk here. No international body recognises the so-called referendum held on the 16 March 2014. On the 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. 5 years on, the EU re-affirms its unwavering support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.