Nigeria To Criminalize Gay Marriage & LGBT Meetings

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/01/011906nigeria.htm

Nigerian same-sex couples who marry would face five years in prison under legislation being considered by the government.

A similar sentence would be handed out to anyone who officiates at a gay wedding. The legislation would also make it a crime to stage a protest in favor of LGBT civil rights or to set up an organization advocating gay rights.

The bill was approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Olusegun Obasanjo and has been sent to Parliament where it is expected to receive little or no opposition.

Obasanjo spokesperson Frank Nweke told the British Broadcasting Corporation that the government was taking the "pre-emptive step" because of developments elsewhere in the world - a reference to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Belgium, Spain The Netherlands and Canada.

[blm]

1. Nigeria and the Republicans sure have alot in common. Run by greedy thugs

with Enron ethics hidden by religious and homophobic fervor.

[xchrom]

2. fuck.

:mad:

[GodlessBiker]

3. Note to self: Put off vacation to Nigeria.

[sui generis]

4. hey, this is better than hating jews! And totally calorie free.

:eyes:

[Meldread]

5. Let's Bomb Nigeria.

Seriously. One or two nukes at least.

[TaleWgnDg]

6. This is diplomatic-speak for "this place sucks" . . .

(Excerpts taken from the U.S. State Department's website on) Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004

Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
February 28, 2005

. . . snip . . .

"The (Nigerian) Government's human rights record remained poor, and the Government continued to commit serious abuses. Nationwide local government elections held during the year were not generally judged free and fair and therefore abridged citizens' right to change their government. Security forces committed extrajudicial killings and used excessive force. There were several politically motivated killings by unknown persons during the year. Security forces regularly beat protesters, criminal suspects, detainees, and convicted prisoners. There were fewer reported incidents of torture by security agents than in previous years. Impunity was a problem. Shari'a courts sentenced persons to harsh punishments including amputations and death by stoning; however, there were no reports of amputation or stoning sentences carried out during the year. Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening, and conditions contributed to the death of numerous inmates. Security forces continued to arrest and detain persons arbitrarily, including for political reasons. Prolonged pretrial detention remained a serious problem. The judicial system often was incapable of providing criminal suspects with speedy and fair trials. Government authorities occasionally infringed on citizens' privacy rights.

The Government at times restricted freedom of speech and press. The Government continued placing limits on freedom of assembly, citing security concerns. Some state governments placed limits on some religious rights, and some government programs discriminated between religious groups. The Government occasionally restricted freedom of movement for security reasons in areas of unrest and used lethal force at checkpoints. Domestic violence and discrimination against women remained widespread. Female genital mutilation (FGM) remained widely practiced in some parts of the country, and child abuse and child prostitution were common. Intercommunal violence remained a problem. Some militant members of ethnic groups throughout the country, particularly in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, continued to commit serious abuses, including unlawful killings. Ethnic and regional discrimination remained widespread, and localized religious discrimination and violence persisted. Restrictions on worker rights continued. Some persons, including children, were subjected to forced labor. Child labor continued to be a problem. Trafficking in persons for purposes of prostitution and forced labor was a problem, and collusion of government officials in trafficking was alleged. Vigilante violence continued throughout the country, particularly in parts of the South."

. . . more at . . . http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41620.htm
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So where's the surprise? There shouldn't be any. Tragic as it is.
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