europe slams nigerian government over proposed anti-gay legislation

Source: UKGayNews

BRUSSELS - April 8, 2006: The European Parliament¡¯s Intergroup on gay and lesbian rights has strongly condemned the Nigerian government over its proposals to make same sex relationship illegal and to ban gays and lesbians from forming organisations.

And yesterday, an open letter to Nigeria was published.  The letter, calling for the withdrawal of the proposed legislation which would violate human rights, was signed by  60 Members of the European Parliament from all five major political parties.

¡°The suggested legislation is totally despicable, said MEP Michael Cashman (UK), president of the Intergroup.
¡°Although Nigeria has been a member of the UN since 1960, a homophobic culture is supported and promoted by the government and continues to threaten the lives of LGBT citizens,¡± he added.

The proposed legislation would carry a sentence of up to five years in prison for any person who marries a person of the same sex and persons who witnesses, aids or abets the ceremony of same-sex marriage.

Additionally, those involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies and organizations, sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public show of same-sex amorous relationships directly or indirectly in public and in private would be breaking the law, if it is passed.

¡°The European Council is silent, as usual, when it comes to LGBT issues, but we ask the Council to consider the treatment of LGBT-people in Nigeria in its relations with the Nigerian government,¡± said MEP Ra¨¹l Romeva (Spain), vice-president of the Intergroup.

And Sophie in 't Veld (the Netherlands) pledged:  ¡°The European Parliament will speak up for human rights for all, and against discrimination in all external contacts of the Union.

¡°We stand for our fundamental rights and freedoms, not just for European citizens, but for all.  We expect the Commission and the Presidency equally to take the matter up with the Nigerian government,¡± she said.

Text of the Open Letter

We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, express our deep concern regarding the draft law currently considered in Nigeria introducing new criminal penalties for homosexuality as well as for public advocacy or associations supporting lesbian and gay rights.

The proposed law would further reinforce the criminalization regime of homosexual acts already in place in Nigeria, by leading to the imprisonment of individuals solely for their actual or imputed sexual orientation, including for consensual sexual relations in private, advocacy of lesbian and gay rights, or public expression of their sexual identity.

This law, if approved, will constitute an unbearable discrimination as well as a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, conscience, association, and assembly. These rights are enshrined in international law as well as in the African Charter on Human and Peoples¡¯ Rights. Furthermore, the approval of this law will undermine the fight that Nigeria is combating against the spread of HIV/AIDS. 

We consequently ask the Nigerian authorities to:

• Withdraw the draft law
• Guarantee safety and protection for all human rights defenders and all individuals irrespective of their sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or religion
• Respect international human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• Remove discriminatory laws that criminalize sexuality, gender identity, homosexual acts in all parallel legal systems followed in the country

(signed)
Michael Cashman, President of the LGBT Intergroup, PSE
Sophie In'T Veld, Vice-President of the LGBT Intergroup, ALDE
Ra¨´l Romeva, Vice- President of the LGBT Intergroup, Greens/EFA
Alexander Stubb, Vice-President of the LGBT Intergroup, EPP/ED
¡ö The letter was also signed by 56 other MEPs