Lithuanian Court Made Verdict: Being LGBTQ+ is not a ticket to safe harbor. If you want a safe place, you need to prove that your life in your home country is a real nightmare, and not just an "inconvenient fact" because of your orientation.
Lithuania's highest administrative court has stated that being LGBTQ alone is not enough to receive international protection. It is necessary to provide evidence of a real threat, otherwise there will be a refusal.
Moreover, the mere fact that homosexual relations are prohibited and punished in the applicant's country is also not considered an automatic ground for asylum. The court clarified: it is important to what extent this punishment is actually applied, how severe it is and whether it meets the criteria of international law.
The story unfolded against the backdrop of the consideration of the request of a queer migrant who wanted to obtain asylum in Lithuania. But the court remained adamant: there is no evidence of personal persecution, which means that there are no grounds for asylum either.
Simply put, if you want to stay in Lithuania, the mere fact of homophobia in your home country is not enough. You will have to provide reinforced concrete evidence that you are not only not loved, but purposefully persecuted.
A similar case recently occurred in Moldova: a queer migrant there was denied asylum because he could not convincingly prove that the Russian authorities were oppressing him.
Migration policy is becoming tougher, and simply "it's not safe to feel at home" is no longer an argument.
Is Lithuania a safe country for gay people?
Lithuania is not a fairy tale for gays, but it is not a prison either. In Vilnius and large cities, you can find tolerant communities, hangouts and cafes where you are welcome. But as soon as you leave the metropolis, conservative views and even discrimination can be encountered.
The law does not recognize same-sex marriages there, so legal support is not in favor. If you decide to try the Lithuanian atmosphere, choose urban areas, be on the lookout and have a plan "B" in case the local tradition comes up. In general, it is not an ideal paradise, but obscurantism is not at every step.
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