Marriage partners face three years jail, witnesses five years jail
Proposed law violates Nigeria’s Constitution and African Charter
Date – Tuesday 15 November 2011
Time – 4pm-6.30pm
Venue – Nigeria House, 9 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5BX
Map – http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=530203&Y=180315&A=Y&Z=110
Nigeria’s Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill seeks to outlaw same-sex marriage. It stipulates three years jail for a person who enters into a same-sex marriage, and five years jail plus fines for anyone who “witnesses, abet and aids” a same-sex marriage.
Read the bill here:
http://www.nass.gov.ng/nass/legislation2.php?search=marriage+&Submit=Search
The kiss-in is organised by Nigerian LGBTIs in the Diaspora Against Anti-Same-Sex Laws. The group’s Nigerian coordinator, Yemisi Ilesanmi, said:
“Outside the embassy, Nigerian LGBTI people and our allies will hold hands, hug and kiss as a gesture of defiance against the proposed ban on same-sex marriage and in solidarity with our Nigerian LGBTI brothers and sisters. Come and join us to kiss goodbye to this bill and the sodomy laws. International solidarity knows no borders.
“The new Nigerian bill aims to further criminalise same sex relationships. Already, consensual same-sex conduct between adults is a criminal offence carrying up to 14 years imprisonment and in some parts of the country there is the death penalty under Sharia law.
“Lawmakers are fast tracking the bill. The bill has already passed its second reading,” she added.
Sign the petition against the ban on same-sex marriage: http://chn.ge/q4sHvX
Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights lobby, the Peter Tatchell Foundation, will attend the kiss-in. He noted:
“This proposed new law violates the equality and non-discrimination guarantees of Article 42 of the Nigerian Constitution and Articles 2 and 3 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, which Nigeria has signed and pledged to uphold,” he said.
Tuesday’s kiss-in follows disturbing reports – http://wp.me/p1YdPM-3 – about the threatening and intimidatory atmosphere at the public hearing on the bill in Abuja on 31 October 2011.
The theme of the protest is Kiss Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia Goodbye!
The Nigerian organisers intend to officially submit the LGBTI position paper – http://wp.me/P1YdPM-I – that was read at the public hearing in Abuja to the Nigerian Ambassador to UK on Tuesday. They will express their concerns about the anti-same-sex marriage bill, speaking as Nigerian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people currently living in United Kingdom.
Nigerian Constitution – Article 42
42. (1) A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-
(a)be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject;
See here:
http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights – Articles 2 and 3
Article 2
Every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms recognized and guaranteed in the present Charter without distinction of any kind such as race, ethnic group, color, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status.
Article 3
1. Every individual shall be equal before the law. 2. Every individual shall be entitled to equal protection of the law.
See here:
http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/z1afchar.htm
More info:
Protest details: http://wp.me/s1YdPM-62
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156092604490122
Blog: http://yemmynisting.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-rally-kiss-homophobia-biphobia.html
Further information:
Coordinators
Yemisi Ilesanmi: [email protected] +44(0)7577749875
and Davis Mac-Iyalla: [email protected]