Tag Archives: books

Activists condemn public flogging of two men under Indonesia’s Islamic criminal law

Amnesty International on Tuesday condemned the public caning of two men in Indonesia’s Aceh province after they were convicted of same-sex relations under Islamic criminal law.

Aceh, located on the northern tip of Sumatra island, is Indonesia’s only province that criminalizes consensual same-sex acts. Under its special autonomy status, Aceh enforces qanun jinayat, Islamic criminal bylaws introduced in 2015 that criminalize adultery, gambling, alcohol consumption, and same-sex relations, with punishments including up to 200 lashes.

Aceh, located on the northern tip of Sumatra island, is Indonesia’s only province with special autonomy to enforce qanun jinayat, a set of bylaws introduced in 2015 that criminalize acts such as adultery, gambling, alcohol consumption, and same-sex relations, prescribing punishments including lashes.

The men, aged 20 and 21, were publicly flogged 76 times each after the local Sharia court found them guilty of engaging in consensual same-sex activity. Spectators reportedly watched on, with some recording the abuse as it was carried out in Banda Aceh.

Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International Regional Research Director, criticized the flogging, stating:

This public flogging of two young men under Aceh’s Islamic Criminal Code for consensual sex is a disturbing act of state-sanctioned discrimination and cruelty. This punishment is a horrifying reminder of the institutionalized stigma and abuse faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Aceh.

Amnesty has repeatedly urged Indonesia to repeal these laws, arguing they contravene the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture, both of which Indonesia has ratified. The UN Human Rights Committee has previously called on the government to prohibit corporal punishment and protect LGBTQ+ persons from discrimination.

Despite international criticism, Aceh authorities maintain that the qanun jinayat reflects local customs and Islamic values. The central government in Jakarta has historically deferred to Aceh’s autonomy arrangements, though rights groups argue this undermines Indonesia’s constitutional commitment to equality and non-discrimination. Tuesday’s flogging underscores ongoing tensions between Indonesia’s decentralized legal system and its international human rights commitments.

Amnesty has called on the government to immediately halt the practice of public caning and decriminalize consensual same-sex relations nationwide.

Such incidents are not novel in Aceh. The province has carried out public canings for same-sex relations and other morality offenses since implementing the Islamic criminal laws in 2015. Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the practice.

The post Activists condemn public flogging of two men under Indonesia’s Islamic criminal law appeared first on JURIST – News.

Russia bookstore fined for LGBTQA+ ‘propaganda’ by selling books

Leave a reply

Russia bookstore fined for LGBTQA+ ‘propaganda’ by selling books

A Moscow court fined the bookstore Falalster 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) and its founder, Boris Kupriyanov, 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,300) on the charges of LGBTQA+ “propaganda,” according to local media.

Charges were reportedly based on the bookstore selling books like More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, Satanic Feminism by Per Faxneld, Fruit of Knowledge by Liv Strömquist, The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, and Fence: Volume Two by C.S. Pacat. The court found that the removed literature “propagandizes non-traditional relationships and sex change.”

Kupriyanov plead not guilty, elaborating that the books are not banned, are not found on prohibited or extremist lists, and were not deemed “problematic” until the trial. He also questioned the expertise of the expert used to determine the “problematic” nature of the books, stating that he is unaware of their level of education and that, in some cases, the “problematic” parts of the books were taken out of context.

The founder of the bookstore also criticized the trial process, sharing that he was not aware of the expertise analysis taking place or of the rights that he is entitled to. Kupriyanov concluded with a challenge, rationalizing that the expert needs to read all 38,000 books sold in the bookstore to make sure that there are no other complaints.

Falalster was fined 80,000 rubles (approximately $1,000) and Kupriyanov 40,000 rubles (approximately $500) earlier this year for selling “On the Way to Magadan” by Belarusian anarchist Ihar Alinevich. The book was registered as “undesirable” in 2024. Kupriyanov pled not guilty then as well, noting that the publication of the book was incorrectly identified on the Ministry of Justice’s “undesirable” booklist.

Bookstores in Russia have been facing intensified prosecution for the sale of “undesirable” books, with books accused of “LGBTQA+ propaganda” currently taking the spotlight. Earlier this month, a Saint Petersburg Court announced a case against bookstore Подписные издания (Subscription Editions) on the aforementioned charges. The bookstore was previously fined 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) on the same charges. In May of this year, employees of publishing houses Eksmo and Popcorn Books were arrested amidst a LGBTQA+ “propaganda” investigation.

The post Russia bookstore fined for LGBTQA+ ‘propaganda’ by selling books appeared first on JURIST – News.

Russia court announces ‘LGTBQA+ propaganda’ case against bookstore

Leave a reply

Russia court announces ‘LGTBQA+ propaganda’ case against bookstore

A Saint Petersburg court announced a case Tuesday against the bookstore “Подписные издания” (Subscription Publications) on charges of “LGBTQA+ propaganda.” No information is available yet regarding the reasons for the charges.

On its website, the bookstore shares that it has been open since 1926, with photos that capture the involvement of the store with the people of the cultural capital of Russia. Besides selling books, the bookstore has two cafes and a stationery line, hosts events, manages a children’s literature club, produces lists of children’s books and a literary journal, and publishes novels.

The bookstore was already fined 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) in May under the “LGBTQA+ propaganda” charges for selling books authored by Susan Sontag, known to defend women’s rights, journalists Valery Panyushkin and Sergey Parkhomenko, who are identified as “foreign agents,” and more. The court also demanded the removal of the aforementioned literature.

The charge of “LGBTQA+ propaganda” against the bookstore is the latest issue in the journal of human rights violations under Putin’s regime. After labeling the LGBTQA+ movement as “extremist” in 2023, the government dedicated a huge amount of resources to punishing anything that resembled it. Companies like Apple have been fined several times for failing to remove undesired content. Bookstores and publishers have been targets of searches, detention, and fines. LGBTQA+ activists have been fined for social media promotions, with at least one sentence being issued for “LGBTQA+ propaganda.” Fines are also given out for messages in Telegram chats, with some people even being detained for posts in Russian social media VKontakte.

On Wednesday, a woman in illegally annexed Crimea was fined 100,000 rubles (approximately $1300) under “LGBTQA+ propaganda” charges for a meme showing men in wedding dresses. The meme depicted men who say “let’s split the bill,” “I waited for you to make a first move,” “why should I be the one to invite [a girl] on a first day?,” and “prove to and show me that you need me” as men in wedding dresses, establishing a connection between the phrases and self emasculation.

The post Russia court announces ‘LGTBQA+ propaganda’ case against bookstore appeared first on JURIST – News.

UK: University of Sussex fined £585,000 for failing to uphold freedom of speech relating to gender/sex controversy

Leave a reply

UK: University of Sussex fined £585,000 for failing to uphold freedom of speech relating to gender/sex controversy

Regulator accused of ‘perpetuating culture wars’ after case of Kathleen Stock, who faced protests for views on gender

England’s university regulator has been accused of “perpetuating the culture wars” after fining the University of Sussex a record £585,000 at the conclusion of an investigation into freedom of speech on campus.

It marks the end of a three-and-a-half year investigation into the university’s handling of the case of Kathleen Stock, a philosophy professor who resigned after being targeted by protests over her views on gender identification and transgender rights.

In a ruling that prompted a furious reaction from the University of Sussex and has implications for the wider sector, the Office for Students (OfS) found the institution’s governing documents “failed to uphold freedom of speech and academic freedom”. It also identified failings in the university’s management and governance processes.

The OfS criticism was directed at the university’s trans and non-binary equality policy statement, which required course materials to “positively represent trans people” and said “transphobic propaganda … will not be tolerated”. The regulator said it had “a chilling effect”, which could result in staff and students self-censoring.

“An example of this chilling effect materialising in practice is the experience of Prof Stock while at the university. Prof Stock said that she became more cautious in her expression of gender critical views as a result of the policy,” the OfS said.

“There were some views she did not feel able to express, and therefore teach, despite those views being lawful. Other staff and students may have felt similarly unable to express these, or other, lawful views, and not speak about or express lawful views.”

Sussex complained the fine was more than 15 times bigger than any other sanction the OfS had previously imposed and promised to challenge the ruling in the courts. “The way the OfS has conducted this investigation has been completely unacceptable, its findings are egregious and concocted, and the fine that is being imposed on Sussex is wholly disproportionate,” said the university’s vice-chancellor, Prof Sasha Roseneil.

“After three and a half years of trawling thousands of pages of paperwork, whilst never interviewing anyone employed by the university, the behaviour of the OfS sets a dangerous precedent and constitutes serious regulatory overreach in service of a politically motivated inquiry.”

Stock resigned from the university in 2021 over what she called “a medieval experience” of campus ostracism and protests, but she praised the university leadership’s approach latterly as “admirable and decent”.

Sussex said the OfS’s findings meant it was now all but impossible for universities to prevent abuse, harassment or bullying on campuses.

“Universities must be able to have policies and expectations of behaviour that support respectful communication and enable us to manage cultural tensions on campus,” said Roseneil. “It cannot be that we are only able to expect people to obey the law and that poor behaviour can only be challenged in the courts.

“Under this ruling, we believe that universities would not be permitted to expect their staff and students to treat each other with civility and respect. The OfS is effectively decreeing libertarian free speech absolutism as the fundamental principle for UK universities. In our view, the OfS is perpetuating the culture wars.”

Arif Ahmed, the director for freedom of speech and academic freedom at the OfS, said: “These are significant and serious breaches of the OfS’s requirements. Substantial monetary penalties are appropriate for the scale of wrongdoing we have found. However, we have significantly discounted the monetary penalties we initially calculated on this occasion to reflect that this is the first case of its type we have dealt with.

“We hope that publishing our findings in this case is helpful to all universities and colleges as they consider their own compliance with their freedom of speech duties, and ensure they have proper decision-making processes in place.”

The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “Free speech and academic freedom are non-negotiables in our universities, and I have been clear that where those principles are not upheld, robust action will be taken.

“If you go to university you must be prepared to have your views challenged, hear contrary opinions and be exposed to uncomfortable truths. We are giving the OfS stronger powers on freedom of speech so students and academics are not muzzled by the chilling effect demonstrated in this case.”

More: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/26/university-of-sussex-fined-freedom-of-speech-investigation-kathleen-stock

UK: UK: Christian teacher who said being LGBTQ+ is asin loses High Court challenge

Leave a reply

UK: Christian teacher who said being LGBTQ+ is a sin loses High Court challenge

A Progress Pride flag waving in a street.(Getty)

A Christian teacher who told students being LGBTQ+ is a sin and trans people are “just confused” has reportedly lost a High Court challenge over a finding of unprofessional conduct.

Glawdys Leger, a teacher at Bishop Justus Church of England School in Bromley, south London, is said to have made the comments to a group of year seven students during a class in February 2022.

She was suspended in March 2022, and dismissed from her role two months later. A professional conduct panel (PCP) in December 2023 found her comments amounted to “unprofessional conduct”, with the findings published on the Teaching Regulation Agency’s website.

The PCP revealed that during a discussion on “allyship”, the teacher had said being LGBTQ+ is “not fine”, and that students should put God before the LGBTQ+ community. The PCP also found Leger had said being LGBTQ+ is a sin, and trans people are “just confused”.

After Leger’s comments were found to amount to unprofessional conduct, she brought legal action at the High Court against the Department for Education over the PCP’s findings.

Glawdys Leger worked for Bishop Justus CofE school in Bromley (Google Streetview)

She reportedly argued that the panel had not put her comments into context, and that the school’s duty to “provide a broad and balanced curriculum” didn’t apply to her as an individual teacher. She added that the decision to publish the finding online infringed on her privacy, making it unlawful.

On Thursday (20 March), her case was dismissed by Justice Lang, who said Leger’s criticisms against the PCP finding “do not disclose any error of law, as opposed to mere disagreement”, PA Media reported.

Leger argued that while she was not banned from teaching due to the incident, the fact that the PCP’s decision had been published online would make it “difficult, if not impossible, to obtain new employment”.

Justice Lang stated, however, that the decision to publish the finding was “justifiable and proportionate”.

“While ‘Ms Leger’s comments lacked respect for the right of others’ this did not derive ‘from a lack of a tolerance’ nor had she any ‘intention of causing distress to pupils’,” Justice Lang said of the PCP finding.

“That said, her ‘actions were at risk of upsetting pupils in the lesson’ and her ‘choice not to present a balanced view undermined the school community’s aspiration to provide a supportive environment for children who may be exploring sexual identity’.”

In October 2023, Leger commented: “I have great compassion for LGBT people, especially for those suffering from gender dysphoria.

“I cannot, however, in good conscience teach or say things I believe are contrary to my faith, for example saying that same-sex sexual relationships are good and/or affirming people with gender dysphoria in their gender confusion.”

The teacher added: “I am certain that I have not shown, and never would show, any hatred or lack of love towards LGBT people.”

Source: https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/03/21/christian-teacher-who-said-being-lgbtq-is-a-sin-loses-high-court-challenge/

ECtHR : Judgment Bazhenov and Others v. Russia (nos. 8825/22 and 19130/22) (failure of the national authorities to respond adequately to homophobia-driven incidents)

Leave a reply

ECtHR : Judgment Bazhenov and Others v. Russia (nos. 8825/22 and 19130/22) (failure of the national authorities to respond adequately to homophobia-driven incidents)

The applicants, Yevgeniy Bazhenov, Aleksandr Semkin and Artem Lapov, are three Russian nationals who were born in 1985, 1984 and 1988 respectively. They are homosexuals and are in same-sex marriages registered outside Russia. The first two applicants are a couple and live in Moscow. The third applicant and his husband left Russia in 2022, and are currently residing in a European country as refugees.
The case concerns disclosure of the applicants’ personal data, including information about their sexual orientation, on social networks, and the alleged failure of the national authorities to respond adequately to those homophobia-driven incidents.
Relying on Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) taken alone and in conjunction with Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the Convention, the applicants complain that the national authorities failed to do their duty to ensure effective respect for their private lives and protect them from discrimination. They also complain under Article 13 that they had no effective domestic remedy at their disposal for their Convention complaints.

Violation of Article 14 taken in conjunction with Article 8
Just satisfaction: non-pecuniary damage: EUR 7,000

More: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-241571