HAPPENING NOW: LGBT Nigerians Jailed After Passage of New Anti-Gay Law

Contents:

• HAPPENING NOW: LGBT NIGERIANS JAILED AFTER PASSAGE OF NEW ANTI-GAY LAW
• RISHI SUNAK APOLOGIS TO LGBT VETERANS FOR PAST ARMED FORC GAY BAN
• OBAMA FIGHTS NIGERIAN ANTI-GAY BILL, THREATENS TO CUT OFF AID
• NIGERIA'S PRINT SIGNS LAW IMPOSG UP TO 14 YEARS' JAIL FOR GAY RELATNSHIPS
• NIGERIAN PRINT SIGNS ANTI-GAY BILL TO LAW
• IT JT GOT EVEN TOUGHER TO BE GAY NIGERIA
• THE NEW ANTI-GAY BILL PROPOSED GHANA WILL DTROY LIV
• UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL OPPOS GHANA'S ANTI-GAY BILL
• ‘WHY NIGERIA’S ANTI-GAY BILL SICKENS ME’
• NIGERIAN SENATE PASS ANTI-GAY BILL, FYG BRISH AID THREAT
• NIGERIA SIGNS HARSH ANTI-GAY BILL TO LAW

HAPPENING NOW: LGBT NIGERIANS JAILED AFTER PASSAGE OF NEW ANTI-GAY LAW

Passg the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Fay Valu bill would further rce eedoms a untry where gay sex is already punishable wh up to three years jail, crics and activists Odoi, an amic rearcher, filed a lawsu on July 7 challengg the bill's nstutnaly, sayg would impact donor aid and other forms of fancial support. Ghana's Supreme Court on Wednday led her arguments were not sufficiently nvcg to grant an lg cleared the way for the bill, one of the harsht towards the LGBTQ muny Ai, to go through a fal stage of parliamentary approval before beg signed to May, Uganda's Print Yoweri Meveni signed one of the world's tought anti-LGBTQ laws, which spelled out the ath penalty for "aggravated homosexualy"'s bill, backed by relig and tradnal lears, clus jail sentenc of up to 10 years for advotg for LGBTQ rights.

In another blow to lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) rights Hungary, on July 13, the Hungarian ernment proposed a bill that exclus transgenr women om a women-only pensn scheme. Instead of discrimatg and fuelg tolerance, parliament should redouble efforts to protect the basic human rights of everyone Hungary, cludg people who are lbian, gay, bisexual, or transgenr.

Anyone who speaks out support of, meets wh, or participat a group advotg for the rights of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and tersex (LGBTI) people also risks 10 years prison. Image source, Emma RileyImage ptn, Rad operator Emma Riley was discharged om the Navy for beg a lbian the 1990sRishi Sunak has apologised for the historil treatment of LGBT veterans who were sacked or forced out of the ary for beg PM lled the ban an "appallg failure" of the Brish was illegal to be gay the Brish ary until 2000 - wh thoands of veterans thought to be affected. Addrsg MPs, the prime mister said: "Many endured the most horrific sexual abe and vlence, homophobic bullyg and harassment all while bravely servg this untry.

RISHI SUNAK APOLOGIS TO LGBT VETERANS FOR PAST ARMED FORC GAY BAN

"The LGBT Veterans Inpennt Review, led by Bra's first openly gay judge Lord Etherton, began last year and heard about the experienc of 1, 145 veterans between 1967 to 2000. Acrdg to the report, the Mistry of Defence said at the time that jtifitn for the policy clud "matenance of operatnal effectivens and efficiency" - but the report said there had been an "prehensible policy of homophobic bigotry" the armed forc. It heard shockg acunts of homophobia, bullyg, blackmail, sexual asslts, "disgraceful" medil examatns, and nversn mak 49 remendatns to the ernment cludg:Affected veterans to be given an "appropriate fancial reward" pped at £50m overallThe rtoratn of medals that had to be hand back on dismissal or dischargeThe clarifitn of pensn rights The prentatn of a special veterans' badgeThe ernment said would rpond full after summer of the veterans affected watched the PM's public of them, Emma Riley, 51, was a Royal Navy rad operator for three years before she was arrted and discharged for beg a lbian after tellg a lleague her sexualy the early told BBC News she weled the report, and hoped would be put to place "swiftly.

Carol Man, who was dismissed after tellg her boss she was gay 1978, kept her sexualy secret for another 30 years and said she had been "robbed" of her life. "Olympian Dame Kelly Holm, who served the army and me out as gay last year, lled the publitn of the report a "historic moment", while Cathere Dixon, a former army officer who is now vice chair at Stonewall, said was "an important step towards jtice" for those whose ary reers were "ed" bee of their sexualy.

OBAMA FIGHTS NIGERIAN ANTI-GAY BILL, THREATENS TO CUT OFF AID

Many still have a crimal rerd to this also tails how some veterans faced a plete loss of e, while others were emed eligible to claim their pensn bee of their report more than 20 years after four servicemen and women, who were sacked for beg gay, won a se the European Court of Human Rights and overturned the armed forc chary Royal Brish Legn lled on the ernment to accept the report's remendatns chary's director general Charl Byrne weled both the report and Mr Sunak's "landmark apology", sayg many people who had dited their liv to the untry were "forced or felt prsured to leave the armed forc, and this mistreatment stroyed or shortened their reer". S Print Barack Obama is threateng to cut off foreign aid to Nigeria if a recent anti-gay bill is passed, but Nigerians are unwaverg.

Expectedly, the bill has raised furor among lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr groups (LGBT), human rights anizatns and wtern ernments. On Tuday, Obama issued a memo orrg Amerin diplomats abroad to advance the rights of Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr Persons. S ernment also announced that the fight agast gay and lbian discrimatn would be a central pot of s foreign policy, and transgrsg natns like Nigeria uld be nied aid.

The Nigerian anti-gay bill has so far enjoyed an overwhelmg support om the majory of Nigerians, and is highly likely that will eventually be signed to law. Nigeria y among di worst kontris for di world for LGBTQ equaly, acrdg to legal rights x some oda Ain kontris, gay and trans pipo y face stigma and vlence a cultural society like dis foto e om, Jay_boogie/InstagramSome weeks ago, Ghana Parliament totally support one proposed amendment to di Anti-gay bill wey prcribe a 3-year jail term for ps wey intify as May 2023 Uganda Print Yoweri Meveni sign wet observers scribe as one of di tought anti-LGBTQ laws di world. "'Surgery journey & safety of transgenrs'Wia dis foto e om, Jay_boogie/InstagramWet we ll dis foto, Daniel Nsikan alias Jay Boogie want make Nigerians no y see transgenr pipo as gayDi popular transgenr get plenty followers for Instagram wey she y totori w fe-fe fotos of tell BBC Pidg say she don do surgery to get breast but she neva do surgery on her body.

NIGERIA'S PRINT SIGNS LAW IMPOSG UP TO 14 YEARS' JAIL FOR GAY RELATNSHIPS

"Wen m see trans, m go beg gger y wan attack , " she we ll dis foto, Jay Boogie durg terview w BBCWet Nigerian law tok about LGBTQJay Boogie say plenty misnceptn y about pipo wey be expla say many pipo y mistake trangenr for gay pipo. ” Di SSMPA sama 10-year prison sentence on anyone wey “register, operate or participate for gay clubs, societi and anizatn” or “support” di activi of such anizatns. The law crimaliz public displays of affectn between same-sex upl and rtricts the work of anizatns fendg gay people and their rights.

” It impos a 10-year prison sentence on those who “directly or directly make [a] public show of [a] same-sex amoro relatnship” and anyone who “registers, operat, or participat gay clubs, societi, and anizatns, ” cludg supporters of those groups. “This law crimaliz the liv of gay and lbian people, but the damage would e extends to every sgle Nigerian, ” said Graeme Reid, Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr (LGBT) rights director at Human Rights Watch.

“The law is so vague that is likely to lead to the arbrary arrt of gay people, while facilatg extortn and blackmail of vulnerable groups by members of Nigeria’s notorly rpt secury servic, ” Reid said. By banng unfed “gay meetgs, ” uld also crimalize programs fund by major donors that provi tn on HIV preventn and health for men who have sex wh men. Nigeria's Print Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill on Monday that crimalis same-sex relatnships, fyg wtern prsure over gay rights and provokg US bill, which ntas penalti of up to 14 years prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex "amoro relatnships" and membership of gay rights groups, was passed by the natnal assembly last May but Jonathan had layed signg to law.

NIGERIAN PRINT SIGNS ANTI-GAY BILL TO LAW

As much of sub-Saharan Ai, anti-gay sentiment and persecutn of homosexuals is rife Nigeria, so the new legislatn is likely to be popular. Jonathan is expected to seek re-electn 2015 but is unr prsure after several dozen lawmakers and a handful of regnal ernors fected to the opposn the past two existg Nigerian feral law, sodomy is punishable by jail, but this bill legislat for a much broar crackdown on homosexual people, who live a largely unrground US secretary of state, John Kerry, said Washgton was eply ncerned by the new measur. "It is nsistent wh Nigeria's ternatnal legal obligatns and unrm … mocratic reforms and human rights protectns, " he European untri, most recently France, have moved to offer same-sex upl the legal rights enjoyed by heterosexuals, many Ain untri are seekg to tighten laws agast homosexualy.

Bra and some other wtern untri have threatened to cut aid to ernments that pass laws persecutg homosexuals, a threat that has helped hold back or scupper such legislatn aid-pennt natns such as Uganda and Malawi. "Any person who registers, operat or participat gay clubs, societi and anisatns or directly or directly mak public show of same-sex amoro relatnship Nigeria ms an offence and shall each be liable on nvictn to a term of 10 years prison.

IT JT GOT EVEN TOUGHER TO BE GAY NIGERIA

* Bill says gay marriage, same-sex relatnships illegal* Penalti set of up to 14 years prison* Wtern ernments urged Nigeria not to pass lawABUJA, Jan 13 (Rters) - Nigerian Print Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill on Monday that crimalis same-sex relatnships, the princy said, fyg prsure om Wtern ernments to rpect gay and lbian bill, which ntas penalti of up to 14 years prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex “amoro relatnships” and membership of gay rights groups, was passed by the natnal assembly last May but Jonathan had layed signg to siar bills have been proposed sce 2006 but failed to make through parliament.

“Y, Mr Print had signed the bill to law, a statement will be issued on wh the week, ” princy spokman Rben Abati told much of sub-Saharan Ai, anti-gay sentiment and persecutn of homosexuals is rife Nigeria, so the new legislatn is likely to be popular. Jonathan is expected to seek re-electn 2015 but is unr prsure after several dozen lawmakers and a handful of regnal ernors fected to the opposn the past two existg Nigerian feral law, sodomy is punishable by jail, but this bill legislat for a much broar crackdown on homosexuals and lbians, who already live a largely unrground European untri, most recently France, have moved to offer same-sex upl the same legal rights enjoyed by heterosexuals, many Ain untri are seekg to tighten laws agast homosexualy.

THE NEW ANTI-GAY BILL PROPOSED GHANA WILL DTROY LIV

“Any person who registers, operat or participat gay clubs, societi and anisatns or directly or directly mak public show of same-sex amoro relatnship Nigeria ms an offence and shall each be liable on nvictn to a term of 10 years prison. ”The news provoked an outpourg of anti-gay vective on Twter, but there were also some who qutned the prri of the print, who is monly referred to by his ials. ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerian Print Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill on Monday that crimaliz same-sex relatnships, fyg prsure om Wtern ernments to rpect gay and lbian bill, which ntas penalti of up to 14 years prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex "amoro relatnships" and membership gay rights groups, was passed by the natnal assembly last May, but Jonathan had layed signg to siar bills have been proposed sce 2006 but failed to make through parliament.

Print had signed the bill to law, a statement will be issued on wh the week, " printial spokman Rben Abati told much of sub-Saharan Ai, anti-gay sentiment and persecutn of homosexuals is rife Nigeria, so the new legislatn is likely to be popular. Jonathan is expected to seek re-electn 2015, but is unr prsure after several dozen lawmakers and a handful of regnal ernors fected to the opposn the past two existg Nigerian feral law, sodomy is punishable by jail, but this bill legislat for a much broar crackdown on homosexuals and lbians, who already live a largely unrground European untri, most recently France, have moved to offer same-sex upl the same legal rights enjoyed by heterosexuals, many Ain untri are seekg to tighten laws agast homosexualy. "Any person who registers, operat or participat gay clubs, societi and anizatns or directly or directly mak public show of same-sex amoro relatnship Nigeria ms an offense and shall each be liable on nvictn to a term of 10 years prison.

"The news provoked an outpourg of anti-gay vective on Twter, but there were also some who qutned the prri of the print, who is monly referred to by his ials.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL OPPOS GHANA'S ANTI-GAY BILL

"Mac-Iyalla says the ia for a more dranian anti-gay bill was first troduced Nigeria's parliament 2006 and received support om Nigeria's relig muni.

Homosexualy is illegal most Ain natns based on remnants of sodomy laws troduced durg the Brish lonial era and perpetuated by cultural beliefs.

Readg the news nstant panic is what happens to you when you have lived through the vlence of state-sanctned homophobia and barely ped wh your life.

‘WHY NIGERIA’S ANTI-GAY BILL SICKENS ME’

In a 2020 report released by the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Associatn, nearly half of the 69 untri where homosexualy is still crimalized are Ain untri.

NIGERIAN SENATE PASS ANTI-GAY BILL, FYG BRISH AID THREAT

In ls than six months, the muny has e unr tense and repeated attacks om policians, the police, relig groups, and anti-gay anizatns, cludg a heavily biased media mted to pilloryg and misreprentg an already margalized group.

A draft of a new anti-gay bill sponsored by private members of parliament was recently sent to the speaker of the Ghanaian parliament. A report released 2016 by Human Rights Watch highlighted a particularly chillg cint outsi Abuja, Nigeria’s pal, where a vlent armed mob of more than 50 people went om home to home, draggg out and beatg dividuals spected of beg gay. It clus crimalizg the fense of LGBT+ rights, a duty to report "spects", the promotn of nversn therapy and the imposn of harsher prison sentenc for homosexualy.

NIGERIA SIGNS HARSH ANTI-GAY BILL TO LAW

” crowed The Sun Newspapers, no doubt mirrorg the excement of s upright edorial board), and there is neher anecdotal nor empiril evince of a clamor, even a quiet one, for gays to be married church, mosqu or urts. Our elected reprentativ the Senate, armed wh their versn of our Natnal Moral Co, took time off urgent natnal issu to tackle the even more urgent evil of gay marriag.

Acrdg to the law, not only is gay marriage a crime punishable by a 14-year jail term, but “any person who registers operat or participat gay… anizatns” fac a jail – a clse that specifilly targets the many active sexualy rights advocy groups the untry. Dead clich like “God did not make Adam and Steve” ntue to get exced chos om sedated ngregatns and people still clare wh ignorance that “homosexualy is not a part of our culture”, nveniently skimmg over historil evince of the practice the East and North of the untry; and blissfully unaware that the origs of homophobia our societi n only be traced to the flux of foreign religns.