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commonwealth
summit - a mixed bag
human dignity trust
A new international organisation has been set up to
decriminalise homosexuality throughout the world.
“The Commonwealth heads of government meeting
held in Perth, Australia this October was a mixed bag
from a lgbti perspective” said human rights activist
Peter Tatchell.
Mr Tatchell went on to say...
“On the positive side, Kamalesh
Sharma became the first secretary
general to speak out against
homophobic persecution”.
Kamalesh Sharma, said, “We
recall the 2009 affirmation of
commonwealth values and
principles, which includes a clear
commitment to tolerance, respect
and understanding. This means
we embrace difference, and that
includes sexual identity. Discrimination
and criminalisation on
grounds of sexual orientation is at
odds with our values”.
There was however no agreement
on the decriminalisation of homosexuality
by the assembled leaders.
Mr Tatchell pointed out that “More
than 40 of the 54 Commonwealth
member states still criminalise
same-sex relations, with penalties
including 25 years jail in Trinidad
and Tobago and 20 years plus
flogging in Malaysia. Six Commonwealth
countries stipulate
life imprisonment - Sierra Leone,
Tanzania, Pakistan, Uganda, Bangladesh
and Guyana.
At the meeting there was no
condemnation of Uganda’s revived
anti-gay bill which carries the
death penalty and no condemnation
of Nigeria’s bill that outlaws
same-sex marriage with three
years jail for participants and five
years jail for those who witness,
aid or abet a same-sex marriage.
These failings contradict the Commonwealth’s
professed fundamental
values of human rights, equality
and non-discrimination. They
reflect a wider failure to tackle
human rights abuses in many
Commonwealth member states,
including gender inequality, ethnic
discrimination, detention without
trial, torture, media censorship and
state-sponsored executions.
There were, however, some
limited agreements which could
potentially lead to future progress.
Commonwealth leaders agreed
that a ministerial action group
will be empowered to deal with
serious or persistent human
rights violations by member
states, which could include action
against countries that perpetrate
homophobic persecution.
Commonwealth heads of government
are committed to set up a
task force to advise that member
governments should take steps to
encourage the repeal of discriminatory
laws - such as the criminalisation
of same-sex relations - that
impede effective responses to the
HIV/AIDS pandemic. To make this
happen, we need to sustain our
lobbying and campaigning efforts”,
concluded Mr Tatchell. n
The Human Dignity Trust (HDT) is a
new organisation created by leading
human rights lawyers Jonathan
Cooper OBE and Tim Otty QC. It has
a legal panel including some of the
leading law firms in the world. Their
mission is simple – working in partnership
with local organisations and
individuals where homosexuality
is criminalised. The trust provides
legal expertise and support to assist
in constitutional and international
litigation aimed at achieving the
decriminalisation of homosexuality.
Director, Jonathan Cooper said,
“More than 80 legal systems
across the globe continue to criminalise
homosexuality – 42 out of
54 Commonwealth countries do so.
This is a blatant violation of international
law and human rights treaties
that many of these countries have
signed. Criminalising an individual
based on their sexuality is a breach
of human rights. Where countries
break international laws and their
own constitutions, we work to bring
a legal challenge. This is not an issue
of gay rights but one of universal
human rights. We seek compliance
with the law to protect human
dignity for all”.
Chair, Tim Otty added, “There is
really no rational counter-argument
to the proposition that an individual
should not be made a criminal
simply because of who they are”.
For more information see www.
humandignitytrust.org or contact
Nina Kelly on 07825 336 603 or
Laura Brodie on 07796 130 854. n