Tag Archives: lgbt

UN expert urges Poland to address discrimination and violence against LGBT community

A group of UN experts urged Poland to address entrenched discrimination and violence against the LGBT community through swift legislative and social reforms on Friday. The expert’s statement follows a comprehensive country visit, between November 18 and 29, that revealed both promising progress and persistent challenges.

The UN expert’s report highlights the enduring effects of discriminatory practices, such as the symbolic but impactful “LGBT-ideology free zones” established by over 100 local councils between 2015 and 2023. Although these resolutions lacked legal status, their existence underscored systemic prejudice and exacerbated the mental health challenges faced by the LGBT community. Activism and international pressure eventually led to the abandonment of these zones, but residual effects linger.

Significant gaps remain in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare. Schools lack adequate anti-discrimination training, leaving teachers ill-equipped to combat homophobia and transphobia. In workplaces, fear of discrimination prompts many LGBT individuals to hide their identities, while transgender people face additional barriers in accessing housing and healthcare. Recent legislative proposals aim to address these issues, but implementation remains uneven.

The report also draws attention to the challenges faced by same-sex couples, whose unions are neither recognised nor protected in Poland. Two recent European Court of Human Rights rulings, Przybyszewska and others v. Poland and Formela and others v. Poland, have found a breach of the right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, underscoring the need for legal recognition of same-sex unions, further pressuring the Polish government to act.

The UN Human Rights Council has mandated the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity to offer advice to States on how to remedy violence and discrimination since 2016. The visit was prompted by Poland’s recent steps to address human rights abuses, including a groundbreaking apology from the Ministry of Justice in December 2023 for the past harm caused to LGBT individuals by state actors and media. The apology marked a turning point, fostering improved access to government officials for civil society groups and signaling the possibility of legislative reform.

Encouragingly, a draft civil union bill and expanded hate crime protections are under consideration, signaling a shift toward a more inclusive legal framework. Municipal initiatives, such as Krakow’s growing Equality March, reflect changing societal attitudes, though officials acknowledge that political action has lagged behind public sentiment.

Despite these positive developments, Poland continues to rank last among European Union countries in LGBT legal protections, as highlighted in ILGA-Europe’s annual report. While amendments to the Polish Criminal Code now include sexual orientation in hate crime and speech provisions, gender identity remains excluded. Various cases of hate crime and speech, discrimination and isolation remain pertinent in Poland against the LGBT community.

As Poland grapples with its evolving role within the European Union, the UN expert emphasised the need for sustained commitment to human rights. “This moment represents an opportunity shaped by political circumstance,” the expert remarked, urging Poland to align its policies with EU standards and secure a more equitable future for all citizens.

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Georgia signs bill protecting family values, minors from LGBT and homosexual influences

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Georgia signs bill protecting family values, minors from LGBT and homosexual influences

Speaker of the Republic of Georgia’s parliament Shalva Papuashvili announced on Thursday that he signed into law a bill aimed at protecting family values and minors from LGBT and homosexual influences, according to local media.

The legislation stated that Georgia recognizes family values of the union of a man and a woman, which are strengthened by the constitutional agreement of the Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia and the State of Georgia. While the legislation said that there are foreign legislations that recognize and allow the marriage of same-sex individuals, it stated that these practices ignore the best interests of minors and would be incompatible with the Code of Children’s Rights and several other legal acts aimed at defending children.

The law defined marriage as the union of one genetic man and woman and prohibited medical intervention in sex change operations. It also disallowed official documents from not stating the genetic sex of the identity holder and criminalized gatherings that aimed to promote homosexual marriage.

While the European Commission for Democracy through Law acknowledged that Georgia’s decision to limit marriage to a man and a woman was aligned with Article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the commission said that there was no “justification for barring [] transsexuals from enjoying the right to marry under all circumstances.” The commission also noted that bans on sex change surgeries violate Article 8 of the ECHR, which allows for the right to respect for private and family life.

In September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced visa restrictions on 60 Georgians after the Georgian Legislature approved the bill. The 60 Georgians include senior government figures who Blinken said were “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia.” Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that the country may revise its ties with the US if the US imposes more sanctions on Georgian officials.

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Malawi court dismisses case to legalize same-sex relationships

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Malawi court dismisses case to legalize same-sex relationships

Malawi’s Constitutional Court on Friday dismissed the case of two applicants seeking to legalize same-sex relationships, marking a significant setback for LGBTQ+ rights in the country. The three-member judge panel, consisting of Justices Joseph Chigona, Chimbigzani Kacheche and Vikochi Chima, delivered their ruling after six hours of deliberation.

The judges ruled that the applicants failed to demonstrate that the laws in challenge specifically discriminated against homosexual individuals. The court also maintained that it is the role of the parliament to review and amend these laws if deemed necessary. The court’s decision means that the criminal proceedings against both applicants will continue in the lower courts.

The applicants, Dutch national Jan Willem Akster and Malawian transgender woman Jana Gonani, challenged the constitutionality of sections 153, 154 and 156 of Malawi’s Penal Code. These provisions criminalize “indecent practices between males” and “unnatural offenses,” carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The applicants argued that these laws violate their rights to privacy and dignity as enshrined in the Malawian Constitution and international human rights law. They therefore sought to have the court declare the penal code provisions unconstitutional, citing discrimination and persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in Malawi.

Gonani initially challenged her conviction in February 2022 with support from the Nyasa Rainbow Alliance, a Malawian LGBTQ+ rights organization. She was arrested in September 2021 in Mongochi after an altercation and was subjected to a genital examination by a male officer before being placed in a male holding cell. On December 23, 2021, she was convicted under colonial-era laws and sentenced to eight years in Blantyre Prison, one of Malawi’s most overcrowded men’s prisons.

Reacting to the judgment, Gonani’s lawyer Bob Chimkango expressed disappointment but acknowledged the court’s position. He stated, “We will review the judgment and advise our client on whether to appeal.”

Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have condemned the ruling. Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Khanyo Farise described the decision as a “bitter setback for human rights in Malawi.” Farise emphasized that the ruling contradicts Malawi’s constitution, the African Charter and international human rights law, all of which prohibit discrimination.

Farise stated, “The court’s refusal to overturn these laws means LGBTQ+ persons in Malawi will continue to face discrimination and persecution simply for who they love … This ruling translates to continued barriers in access to healthcare and other social services for LGBTQ+ persons.”

The ruling has drawn attention to the precarious situation of LGBTQ+ individuals in Malawi. The Nyasa Rainbow Alliance has reported increasing threats and abuse, including a raid on their offices in June 2023. The international community has also expressed concern, particularly as Malawi’s decision contrasts sharply with recent progressive rulings in other African nations such as Namibia’s decriminalization of homosexuality earlier this month.

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Turkey’s top court rules in favor of LGBT activist in landmark hate speech case

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Turkey’s top court rules in favor of LGBT activist in landmark hate speech case

Turkey’s Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of a LGBT activist, declaring that a lower court’s refusal to block homophobic content targeting her was a violation of her rights, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported.

Efruz Kaya, a civil society employee represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), had requested an access ban on homophobic news reports published after she appeared in a video for “Trans Day of Remembrance” week in November 2019. Her requests were denied by a penal court of peace, prompting her to appeal to the top court.

The decision is the first of its kind from the Constitutional Court regarding the failure to prevent hate speech against LGBT individuals.

The ruling acknowledges that the rejection of Kaya’s request for an access ban infringed on her rights protected under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which ensures respect for private and family life.

The court also concluded that her right to an effective remedy was violated, meaning she was not provided with an adequate legal resolution or recourse to address the harm she suffered.

In November 2019 Kaya participated in a “Trans Day of Remembrance” video. On November 21 and 22 the Yeni Akit, Doğru Haber and İlke news outlets published articles targeting Kaya’s sexual identity. Her request for the removal of these articles was rejected, and subsequent appeals by MLSA lawyers were also dismissed.

The top court approved Kaya’s request to block access to news reports containing derogatory terms such as “LGBT pervert” and “homosexual deviant.” Additionally, the court awarded Kaya TL 10,000 ($310) in non-pecuniary damages.

Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but homophobia is widespread. While there are no official figures, Turkey has slid down the LGBT rights index published by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). Last year, it was ranked 47th out of the 49 countries ILGA lists in its Eurasia region.

The increase in hateful rhetoric against LGBT communities in Turkey coincided with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s electoral alliances in recent years with ultranationalist and ultraconservative political factions.

More: https://turkishminute.com/2024/06/04/turkey-top-court-ruled-in-favor-of-lgbt-activist-in-landmark-hate-speech-case/

UN rights office denounces ‘horrendous’ attack on Tanzania transgender activist

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UN rights office denounces ‘horrendous’ attack on Tanzania transgender activist

The United Nations Human Rights Office condemned an attack against transgender woman and activist Mauzinde in Tanzania on Friday, calling it “horrendous.”

Mauzinde, a resident of Rahaleo, was found abandoned in the forest, beaten and with her ears cut. The UN Human Rights office said that she had been “tortured & sexually assaulted by 12 men” and called for “bold action to combat discrimination against #LGBTIQ+ people and other minorities.”

The attack could be a violation of Mauzinde’s rights under international and Tanzanian law. Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights mandates that “each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind,” such as sex or other status. Furthermore, Principle 2 of the Yogyakarta Principles stipulates that everyone is entitled to enjoy all human rights without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Principle 5 also emphasizes that everyone “has the right to security of the person and to protection by the State against violence or bodily harm, whether inflicted by government officials or by any individual or group.”

Additionally, according to Article 13 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, “all persons are equal before the law and are entitled, without any discrimination, to protection and equality before the law.”

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