A person who … indirectly makes public show of same sex amorous relationship … is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment...
By Cathy Kristofferson, January 13, 2014
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has surreptitiously signed the so-called Same Sex Prohibition Bill into law. Reports are that Jonathan actually signed the Bill, better known as the “Jail-All-The-Gays” Bill, quietly last week. News of it’s signing has only now been leaked.
The Bill received international condemnation when it was passed by the Nigerian Parliament back in May of 2013. As OBLOGDEE reported at the time, the United Nation’s High Commissioner condemned the pending law urging President Jonathan not to sign it. As did many foreign countries.
Like most so-called same-sex marriage prohibition bills, the Nigerian “Jail-All-The-Gays” Bill only pretends its focus is to ban marriage. In fact, the goal is to further criminalize LGBTI individuals and organizations where say sex is already criminalized:
“A person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organizations directly or indirectly makes public show of [sic] dame sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/56486.html
The law does now additionally criminalize anyone who dares to marry someone of the same gender with 14 years imprisonment. And stipulates 10 years imprisonment for those who dare to support or take part in any way in a same gender marriage ceremony.
But read that clause above again:
“A person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organizations directly or indirectly makes public show of [sic] dame sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”
Nigerian law now says that anyone taking part in any kind of organization that the Government construes as “a gay club” or organization will imprisoned for 10 years. So in effect, any person who smiles, or looks sideways perhaps, at any individual who is of the same gender could fall prey to witch hunt sure to ensue and be sent off to prison for 10 years!
Keep in mind that gay sex has been banned in Nigeria, a nation of more than 160 million people, since colonial rule by the British. Prior to the “Jail-All-The-Gays” Bill’s introduction back in 2011, gays already faced open discrimination and abuse in a country divided by Christians and Muslims who almost uniformly oppose homosexuality.
Also keep in mind that Nigeria has the world’s third-largest population of people living with HIV and AIDS. Now any HIV/AIDS organization that the Nigerian government decides to cast as a “gay organization” will be outlawed and its employees imprisoned. Which means that once again raging homophobia will hurt efforts to stem a country greatly effected by the AIDS epidemic.
What will the United Nation and the European Union countries which spoke out initially against the Bill do now? Will Nigeria be held out of compliance with foreign treaties they have signed? Will they be held out of compliance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Will they be held out compliance with the equality clause of their own Nigerian laws?
Publisher’s Note:
It seems that the Nigerian President was afraid of a huge international outcry prior to signing the Bill, yet how he could think it would never make the news defies logic. Now that the story is out, it is absolutely incumbent upon us here in the United States to do two things, firstly to vehemently protest Nigeria and this horrific law, including a call for boycotts and sanctions and secondly to stand by our LGBTI family in Nigeria by providing support for safe-housing and asylum in the West.
We also look forward to hearing more from Human Rights Campaign and other U.S. based organizations which have been noticeably silent on what is happening in Africa and Nigeria at this time. Petitions are not enough. We need to protest outside the consulates of Nigeria around the world and we need to be advocating to our President, State Department and Congress for action. Please keep an eye out for calls to action as this further unfolds.
ALSO – Re Uganda: It is critical that we make a LOT of Noise NOW vs Nigeria so Museveni sees that the world will not be happy if he assents to the BILL.
(Melanie Nathan – [email protected])
#NIGERIAJAILSGAYS
10 Urgent Actions You Can Take Against Anti-Gay Nigeria
#NIGERIAJAILSGAYS
By Melanie Nathan, January 13, 2014.
Today we heard in breaking news that Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has surreptitiously signed the so-called Same Sex Prohibition Bill into law. Reports are that Jonathan actually signed the Bill, better known as the “Jail-All-The-Gays” Bill, quietly last week. News of it’s signing has only now been leaked. The LGBT community around the World will not tolerate laws that criminalize sexuality and will vehemently protest countries which institute such laws, which serve as government sanctioned mechanisms for persecution.
READ THE 10 ACTIONS https://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2014/01/13/10-urgent-actions-you-can-take-against-anti-gay-nigeria/
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Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer World News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM and commented:
Truly shocking news. The world can not sit idly by.
Another country???
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
NIGERIA …. another country??? SMH … going backwards!!
Melanie nonsense or numskull or what did you say your name is.who do you take nigerian for?a begger seeking international community for survival.your recommendations were set of stupid,disgusting shit like you are.Do you think we are slaves to america? Their Godless,deluded sense of freedom isnt ours.so better dont even mention Nigeria on filty
things like that.America will be the list democratic nation in the world to lord their ways on nigerian.
If you cannot take care of your own Nigerian family which includes Gay people, then we in the West who do care about them as human beings will do so for you! You are ging to jail good innocent people just for loving someone of the same sex. Who cares? who does it hurt? So you are going to hurt good people who are not criminals – then we in the West will boycott you and having nothing to do with you while we try and help our Nigerian brothers and sister who we care about. Why cant you care for ALL your people? The same way as the World helped Jews in Nazi Germany, we will help Gays In Homophobic Nigeria. And so you are saying we should have allowed the Nazis to jail and murder Jews and no one in the World should have helped . You see if Hitler did not care about those Jews – his OWN people – the rest of the world did care. Stop criminalizing innocent people and you will be re-accepted to the world.
OH and why are there thousands and thousands of Nigerians pouring into the USA, clamoring to get VISAS here and streaming as refugees into South Africa? Because you take care of your people?