Gay Clubbers In Nigeria Face 5 Years’ Jail
Nigerian authorities introduced new laws further criminalizing gay people and gay friendly people last week, introducing 5-year sentences for anyone attending a gay marriage.
The laws were added to existing legislation already on the statutes imposing 14 year jail terms for anyone caught having ‘consensual same-sex activity’ as well as additional jail terms against human rights campaigners and clubbers.
“The (new) law goes further,” Gaystarnews reported, “by sentencing ‘any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisation, or directly or indirectly make public show of same sex amorous relationship’ to up to 5 years’ imprisonment.”
Nigeria’s laws were apparently timed to coincide with Uganda’s notorious Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which was passed the same day including provisions to ‘also jail anyone who does not report homosexual activities to the police.’
Gay rights activist Frank M said “the Ugandan government should focus on battling corruption, supporting education, and growing our economy – not attacking its own citizens” in an online petition challenging the new laws.
“We call on the government to withdraw once and for all the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, and to protect the universal human rights embodied in the Ugandan constitution. We urge Uganda’s leaders and key partner countries to join reject persecution and uphold values of justice and tolerance,” said Frank in an online petition challenging the new laws.
“Right now the Ugandan government is mixed up in a massive corruption scandal over stolen aid funds and disappearing pensions, so bashing gays makes for a convenient political distraction,” he added.
“We aren’t falling for it though, and we’re going to call out this crude attack on basic human rights for what it is, a diversion from the real work of governing our country.”
http://bit.ly/1acx22r (Uganda: equality not persecution: click here for more on the petition)
India today: Seth Vikram on India’s recent re-criminalisation of homosexuality: “Of all the cruelties that we as human beings can visit on one another, one of the most cruel is to say: “You shall not love or make love with the person you love, not because of excessive youth or because of unwillingness, but because he or she comes from a different religion, a different caste, the same village, the same gender . . .”)
Jonty Skrufff: https://twitter.com/djjontyskrufff