CitizenGO
{{Short description|Ultra-conservative advocacy group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox organization
| logo = Logo CGO CMYK negativo.jpg
| name = CitizenGO
| method = Internet activism, online petitions
| founded_date = 2013 in Madrid, Spain
| headquarters = Paseo de la Habana 200, Madrid, Spain
| predecessor = HazteOir{{cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2013-9106|title=BOE.es – Documento BOE-A-2013-9106|language=es}}{{cite web|title=HazteOír desaparece dejando paso a CitizenGo|url=https://infovaticana.com/2017/01/31/hazteoir-desaparece-dejando-paso-citizengo/|work=Infovaticana|date=31 January 2017|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Los ultracatólicos de HazteOir cambian de marca para limpiar su imagen|url=http://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/HazteOir-blanquea-vinculacion-Yunque-plataforma_0_608239475.html|work=Eldiario.es|date=2 February 2017|language=es}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| homepage = {{URL|https://citizengo.org/}}
}}
CitizenGO is an ultra-conservative{{cite web|title=Warum ist Europa wichtig? (7)|first=Corinna|last=Gekeler|date=30 April 2014|url=https://hpd.de/node/18470/seite/0/1|quote=In den vergangenen zehn Jahren hat sich die Anzahl der Lobby-Büros von ultrakonservativen Gruppen in Brüssel verfünffacht.}}{{cite web|title=Revealed: the Trump-linked 'Super PAC' working behind the scenes to drive Europe's voters to the far right|first=Adam|last=Ramsey|date=25 April 2019|url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/revealed-the-trump-linked-super-pac-working-behind-the-scenes-to-drive-europes-voters-to-the-far-right/|work=OpenDemocracy|quote=CitizenGo was set up in 2013 – the same year as Vox – as an ultra-conservative version of the progressive campaign platforms Avaaz.org and MoveOn.org.}}{{cite web|title=Trump takes war on abortion worldwide as policy cuts off funds|date=17 May 2019|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/17/trump-takes-war-on-abortion-worldwide-as-policy-cuts-off-funds|work=The Guardian|quote=Just as hostile to LGBTI rights and abortion is the ultraconservative CitizenGO, started in Spain but now promoting petitions in 50 countries.}}{{cite magazine|title=Why a Children's Book Is Becoming a Symbol of Resistance in Hungary's Fight Over LGBT Rights|date=8 October 2020|url=https://time.com/5897312/hungary-book-lgbt-rights/|magazine=Time|quote=organized by ultra-conservative campaign group CitizenGO}}{{cite news|title=Activists in Kenya to keep fighting for abortion rights after end of Roe|date=5 July 2022|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/05/kenya-unsafe-abortion-restrictions-roe/|newspaper=The Washington Post|quote=Among these groups is CitizenGO, an ultraconservative Spain-based petition mill.}}{{cite news|title=Spain's 'transphobic bus' rolls on to the streets of Manhattan|date=23 March 2017|url=https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2017/03/23/inenglish/1490263740_805120.html|newspaper=El País|quote=Banned at home, ultraconservative group internationalizes its anti-transgender campaign}} advocacy group founded in Madrid, Spain, in 2013 by the ultra-Catholic and far-right{{cite web|title=HazteOir 'rompe' con Vox por no exigir la derogación de las leyes LGBTI en Murcia y Madrid|date=5 August 2019 |url=https://www.religiondigital.org/espana/HazteOir-Vox-LGBTI-Murcia-Madrid-losantos-ciudadanos-pp-gays-ultraderecha-yunque_0_2145385463.html}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lasexta.com/noticias/nacional/hazte-oir-vuelve-carga-autobus-feminismo-violencia-genero-violencia-domestica_201902285c77ca230cf252a9edaa8c88.html|title=Hazte Oír vuelve a la carga con un autobús en contra del feminismo: "No es violencia de género, es violencia doméstica"|date=28 February 2019 |quote=La organización de extrema derecha, conocida por su dura posición en contra del colectivo LGTBI,}}{{cite web|url=https://www.levante-emv.com/valencia/2019/02/28/autobus-machista-hazteoir-valencia-feminazis/1841980.html|title=Un autobús ultra recorrerá València con mensajes machistas por el 8-M|date=28 February 2019 |quote=La asociación de extrema derecha}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/03/28/anti-trans-bus-stop-d-c-next-week/|title=Anti-trans bus to stop in D.C. next week|date=28 March 2017 |quote=HazTeOir, which is CitizenGO’s far-right Catholic affiliate in Spain that translates into "Make yourself heard,"}}{{cite book|title=La "ideología de género" frente a los derechos sexuales y reproductivos. El escenario español|author=Mónica Cornejo-Valle|author2=J. Ignacio Pichardo|publisher=cadernos pagu|issn=1809-4449}} HazteOir organization, a similar Spanish platform that has been dedicated to the fight against "gender ideology" since 2001.
The foundation aims to be "a community of active citizens that seeks to promote the participation of society in politics" and "defend and promote life, family, and liberty."{{cite web|url=http://www.citizengo.org/en/node/1|title=What is CitizenGO?|date=12 July 2013|publisher=CitizenGO}} It promotes petitions in 50 countries, mostly defending Christian causes,{{cite web|quote=defence of Christian values|title=In Defence of Our Values|url=http://sunday.niedziela.pl/artykul.php?dz=wiara&id_art=00170|author=Mateusz Wyrwich|work=Sunday Catholic Weekly (Poland)}} and those opposing same-sex marriage,{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/lesterfeder/the-rise-of-europes-religious-right|author=J. Lester Feder|title=The Rise Of Europe's Religious Right|work=Buzzfeed|date=29 July 2014}}{{pb}}As quoted by{{cite web|url=http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/religious-right-makes-friends-across-atlantic|title=The Religious Right Makes Friends Across The Atlantic|author=Miranda Blue|date=28 August 2014|work=Right Wing Watch|publisher=People for the American Way}}{{cite web|url=http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/religious-freedom/the-war-for-families-in-europe-continues-says-citizengo|title=The war for Families in Europe continues, says CitizenGo|date=5 February 2014|publisher=Christian Concern}} abortion,{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/lesterfeder/the-fight-for-civil-unions-in-the-popes-backyard|quote=Volontè is also on the board of CitizenGo, a globalizing online mobilizing platform that grew out of the Spanish organization instrumental in promoting a bill to restrict abortion enacted in 2010.|title=The Fight For Marriage Equality In The Pope's Backyard|author=Lester Feder|work=Buzzfeed|date=2 July 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2014/08/11/el-salvadors-right-wing-media-begins-sustained-campaign-releasing-17-women-imprisoned-abortion-related-charges/|title=El Salvador's Right-Wing Media Begins Sustained Campaign Against Releasing 17 Women Imprisoned on Abortion-Related Charges|work=RH Reality Check|quote=CitizenGO, a Madrid-based Christian foundation whose principles include the belief that life begins at conception.|date=11 August 2014}} and euthanasia.{{cite news|url=http://www.thelocal.es/20140227/spanish-conservatives-lobby-belgian-king|title='Don't euthanize kids': Spaniards tell Belgium|date=27 February 2014|work=TheLocal.es}}
History
CitizenGO was founded in Madrid, Spain, in September 2013 by HazteOir, (whose founder and president is also Ignacio Arsuaga),{{Cite web |title=CitizenGo {{!}} FOIA Research |url=https://www.foiaresearch.net/organization/citizengo |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=www.foiaresearch.net}} to expand its scope of action beyond Spanish-speaking countries, advancing the use of online petitions as a form of Internet activism to increase public participation in the democratic process. In appealing to potential donors early into CitizenGO's existence, the founder and president Ignacio Arsuaga stated: "CitizenGO will produce a social benefit that we trust will impact human history. Abortionists, the homosexual lobby, radical secularists, and champions of relativism will find themselves behind CitizenGO's containment wall".
CitizenGO says that they have "team members located in fifteen cities on three continents" who facilitate users signing petitions in 50 countries and 8 languages, with plans to add more. The CitizenGO Foundation is financially supported by online donations made by their members. The CEO of CitizenGO is Álvaro Zulueta. The CitizenGO Foundation Board of Trustees is composed of Ignacio Arsuaga, Walter Hintz, Blanca Escobar, Luca Volontè (Unione dei Democratici Cristiani politician), Brian S. Brown (president of the anti-LGBT rights National Organization for Marriage),{{cite web|url=http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/nom-praises-roy-moore-standing-against-judicial-tyranny-marriage|title=NOM Praises Roy Moore For Standing Against 'Judicial Tyranny' On Marriage|author=Miranda Blue|date=2 February 2015|work=Right Wing Watch|publisher=People for the American Way}} Gualberto García, Alexey Komov (Russian Representative of the pro-Christian right World Congress of Families, considered a close ally of pro-Vladimir Putin oligarch Konstantin Malofeev),{{Cite episode |title=El Yunque, al descubierto |url=http://www.atresplayer.com/television/programas/equipo-de-investigacion/temporada-1/capitulo-186-yunque-descubierto_2017020200372.html |access-date=23 February 2017 |series=Equipo de investigación |network=La Sexta |date= |season=1 |number=186 |time=49:30 |transcript= |quote= |language=es}}{{cite web|url=https://nepszava.hu/3007615_szelsojobbos-orosz-oligarchakhoz-kotheto-9-millio-embert-mozgato-halozat-kampanyol-minalunk|title=Szélsőjobbos orosz oligarchákhoz köthető, 9 millió embert mozgató hálózat kampányol minálunk|newspaper=Népszava|quote=CitizenGo is affiliated via board member Alexey Komov to Russian businessman Konstantin Malofeev, who is close to the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church, and has supported separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk region, as well as far-right groups in the European Union.}} Alejandro Bermudez, and John-Henry Westen.
File:Ignacio Arsuaga, presidente de HazteOir.org (2).jpg
In 2001, lawyer Ignacio Arsuaga founded HazteOir (literally, "Make yourself heard"). This organization later merged into and became part of CitizenGO, a move that was considered a "rebranding".
The foundation has been linked, like HazteOir, to El Yunque, a secret society of Mexican regional origin.{{cite web|url=http://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/ultracatolicos-arremeten-mujeres-colectivo-LGTBI_0_564493924.html|title=Quién está detras´de los lobbies ultracatólicos que arremeten contra las mujeres y el colectivo LGTBI|quote=HazteOir, CitizenGo, Profesionales por la Ética, Centro Tomás Moro, Abogados Cristianos, Más Libres, Instituto para la Política Familiar, Organización del Bien Común... Son los lobbies ultracatólicos, que cuentan con el apoyo más o menos directo de una parte de la Conferencia Episcopal Española.|work=Eldiario.es|date=3 October 2016|language=es}}{{cite news|url=http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2016/09/24/mexico/1474701661_252876.html|newspaper=El País|title=El lobby ultraderechista español que mueve los hilos del movimiento antigay en México|language=es}}{{cite web|url=http://www.proceso.com.mx/456087/asociacion-yunquista-en-espana-entrega-firmas-contra-iniciativa-pena-matrimonio-gay|title=Asociación yunquista en España entrega firmas contra iniciativa de Peña sobre matrimonios gay|quote=El documento que presentaron a la embajada mexicana tenía la portada el nombre de CitizenGo, una de las organizaciones que ofrece apoyo internacional al Frente Nacional por la Familia, en México, y que el periodista de Proceso, Álvaro Delgado identificó como una de los tentáculos de El Yunque español que están detrás de las movilizaciones en México|work=Proceso|first=Alejandro|last=Gutiérrez|date=23 September 2016|language=es}}{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2017/03/03/actualidad/1488543485_414998.html|newspaper=El País|title=Hazte Oír, la "guerrilla" del ultracatolicismo español|language=es|quote=Las denuncias de su vinculación con el Yunque empezaron a alejar a Hazte Oír de varios altos cargos de la Iglesia. De hecho, tras una sentencia de un juzgado de Madrid que consideró "contrastado y acreditado" la relación entre miembros de ambas organizaciones, el obispo de Getafe y el arzobispo de Toledo anunciaron que no apoyarían las iniciativas del colectivo liderado por Arsuaga y le instaba a desaparecer de sus parroquias.}}
In 2021, CitizenGO board member Luca Volontè was sentenced to four years in prison for accepting bribes from Azerbaijan during the Azerbaijani laundromat in exchange for suppressing a report on Azerbaijan's human rights record. Some of these laundered funds were transferred to CitizenGO.{{cite news|author=Sian Norris |title=The Money Men Behind CitizenGO's Anti-Rights Agenda |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2021/06/21/the-money-men-behind-citizengos-anti-rights-agenda/ |access-date=28 September 2021 |work=Byline Times |date=21 June 2021}}
Activities
{{Conservatism in Spain|Organisations}}
= Abortion and euthanasia =
CitizenGO promotes campaigns opposing abortion and euthanasia. CitizenGO has opposed the introduction of the "Estrela report" into the European Parliament, which recommends member states to provide comprehensive sex education in schools and ensure access to abortions, among other things.
In late May 2019, CitizenGO hosted a petition by "Right to Life" calling on streaming service Netflix to stop funding a legal challenge to Georgia's controversial heartbeat abortion restriction bill. The group also called for subscribers to cancel their Netflix subscription as a sign of protest.{{cite web |title=Demand Netflix backs off Georgia – Cancel your subscription now |url=https://www.citizengo.org/en-gb/lf/171041-stop-netflix-funding-pro-abortion-legal-protection-unborn-children-cancel-subscription |publisher=CitizenGO |access-date=7 June 2019 |date=30 May 2019}}
It has also supported African activist Ann Kioko's campaign to investigate pro-abortion rights group Marie Stopes International. After Kioko was put on trial CitizenGO used their platform to promote the idea that the Kenyan government wants to censor the protests of CitizenGO and other anti-abortion outlets.{{cite web |title=Help me to defend the lives of the unborn in Kenya |url=https://www.citizengo.org/en-us/lf/201554-help-me-defend-lives-unborn-kenya |publisher=CitizenGo |access-date=14 April 2021 |date=9 April 2021}}
= Defense of the Russian gay propaganda law =
In 2013, CitizenGO signed a declaration in support of the Russian law which had the stated purpose of protecting children from being exposed to homosexuality,{{cite web|title=Brian Brown extends his anti-LGBT activism across the globe|url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/brian-brown-extends-his-anti-lgbt-activism-across-globe|publisher=GLAAD|access-date=23 July 2021|date=14 January 2014|archive-date=17 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117202834/https://www.glaad.org/blog/brian-brown-extends-his-anti-lgbt-activism-across-globe|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=The document hosted in the website of Profesionales por la Ética|url=https://profesionalesetica.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Statement-in-support-of-Russia-with-signing-entities-v-15092013.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911063139/https://profesionalesetica.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Statement-in-support-of-Russia-with-signing-entities-v-15092013.pdf|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=2015-09-11}} but had the practical effect that hate crimes against LGBTQ people increased by two to three times soon after its introduction.{{Cite journal |last=Katsuba |first=Sergey |date=2024-04-02 |title=The Decade of Violence: A Comprehensive Analysis of Hate Crimes Against LGBTQ in Russia in the Era of the "Gay Propaganda Law" (2010–2020) |journal=Victims & Offenders |language=en |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=395–418 |doi=10.1080/15564886.2023.2167142 |issn=1556-4886|doi-access=free }}
= ''Second Coming'' comic series =
In February 2019, CitizenGO organized a petition calling on DC Vertigo to cancel Mark Russell and Richard Pace's Second Coming comic series, which they regarded as blasphemous for its depiction of Jesus Christ.{{cite web |title=DC Comics to release blasphemous series about Jesus |url=https://www.citizengo.org/en/md/167848-dc-comics-slated-release-blasphemous-series-about-jesus |publisher=CitizenGO |access-date=7 June 2019 |date=14 February 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Aguilar |first1=Matthew |title=Over 100K People Sign Petition For DC Comics To Pull Second Coming Comic Book |url=https://comicbook.com/dc/2019/01/24/dc-comics-over-100k-people-petition-pull-second-coming-comic/ |publisher=Comicbook.com |access-date=7 June 2019 |date=31 January 2019}} Russell subsequently confirmed that it had been his decision to request the return of the rights to the series.{{cite magazine |last1=McMillan |first1=Graeme |title=DC Vertigo Cancels 'Second Coming' of Jesus Comic Book Series |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/second-coming-comic-book-canceled-by-dc-vertigo-controversy-1186499 |access-date=7 June 2019 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |date=13 February 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Flood |first1=Alison |title=DC cancels comic where Jesus learns from superhero after outcry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/19/dc-cancels-comic-where-jesus-learns-from-superhero-after-outcry |access-date=7 June 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=19 February 2019}}
File:20-11-2019. 500.000+ signatures against LGTB in Disney. Orlando - 49099117952.jpg petition campaign by CitizenGo (2019)]]
= 2019 Disneyland "Magical Parade" =
In late May 2018, CitizenGO circulated a petition calling on Disneyland Paris to cancel a scheduled pride parade called the "Magical Parade" on 1 June 2019.{{cite web |title=STOP LGBT indoctrination at Disneyland |date=28 May 2019 |url=https://www.citizengo.org/en/fm/170931-stop-lgbt-indoctrination-disneyland |publisher=CitizenGO |access-date=19 June 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Provost |first1=Claire |title=Who's afraid of LGBT superheroes? |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/whos-afraid-lgbt-superheroes/ |publisher=Open Democracy |access-date=19 June 2019 |date=14 June 2019}} The Walt Disney Company rejected the petition and the Magical Parade went ahead in Paris.{{cite web |last1=Duke |first1=Barry |title=Disney refuses to accept anti-gay petition, tells bigot to get lost |url=https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefreethinker/2019/06/disney-refuses-to-accept-anti-gay-petition-tells-bigot-to-get-lost/ |website=Patheos |access-date=19 June 2019 |date=13 June 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Megarry |first1=Daniel |title=Disneyland just made history with their first ever Pride parade |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/122987/disneyland-made-history-first-ever-magical-pride-parade/ |access-date=19 June 2019 |work=Gay Times |date=5 June 2019}}
= LGBT rights and reproductive health misinformation campaign in Kenya =
CitizenGO Africa opposes decriminalising homosexuality in Kenya.{{cite web|url=http://hazteoir.org/noticia/93168-over-3000-signatures-were-delivered-office-attorney-general-demanding-he-defends-life|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212174936/http://hazteoir.org/noticia/93168-over-3000-signatures-were-delivered-office-attorney-general-demanding-he-defends-life|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-12|title=Kenya stands firm at the United Nations after CitizenGOers pressure|language=en}} According to a 2021 investigation by Mozilla Foundation, it also engaged in spreading misinformation concerning reproductive health policy in the country through a tweets and hashtags on Twitter as well as paying Kenyans to also tweet against debated legislation, which aimed to develop guidelines for surrogacy as well as improving reproductive health care and rights.{{Cite web|title=Exporting Disinformation: How Foreign Groups Peddle Influence in Kenya through Twitter|url=https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/campaigns/exporting-disinformation-how-foreign-groups-peddle-influence-in-kenya-through-twitter/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222143302/https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/campaigns/exporting-disinformation-how-foreign-groups-peddle-influence-in-kenya-through-twitter/ |archive-date=2022-02-22 }}{{Cite web|title=New evidence of thriving 'disinformation industry' on Twitter is worrying as Kenya gears for elections in August 2022|date=22 February 2022 |url=https://maldita.es/malditateexplica/20220222/disinformation-kenya-abortion-citizengo/}}
= ''Paradise PD'' TV series =
In 2021, CitizenGO started a campaign to have the episode "Trigger Warning" from the TV series Paradise PD removed from Netflix because of a depiction of Jesus Christ in which he is seen attacking his persecutors with machine guns and having sex with two women.{{cite web |title=Tell Netflix to Pull offensive depictions of Jesus |url=https://citizengo.org/en-us/202001-pull-offensive-depictions-jesus-paradise-pd |publisher=CitizenGO |access-date=1 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427173402/https://citizengo.org/en-us/202001-pull-offensive-depictions-jesus-paradise-pd |archive-date=27 April 2021 |date=26 May 2021}}
See also
References
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