thanks 🙂

UGANDA – AntiHomosexuality law proposed
Homosexuality is already in Uganda. Men and Women can face life imprisonment if convicted. But this isnt enough for some politicians. A new law the antihomosexuality bill has been proposed that would take this injustice to a frightening new level. You can download a PDF of the proposed law here.

Death or Life in Prison
The law would introduce the death penalty for a new crime called aggravated homosexuality which includes any homosexual act with a person , or committed by a person with HIV (with or without condoms), or by a person in authority. The death penalty would also apply for serial offenders – anyone who commits a homosexual act more than once. The law would also extend the penalty of life imprisonment to all other same sex behavior including the mere touching of another person with the intent to have homosexual relations.

Additionally, anyone guilty of promoting homosexuality would face a prison sentence of 5. This would include any member of an organization offering support or advice to LGBT people, safer sex info etc. It would equally apply to any family member or landlord allowing two men or women to share a room. Finally, anyone holding a position of authority who knows of a homosexual person would be legally obliged to report that person to the police within 24 hours – or face in Prison.

MALAWI – in prison for engaged couple
In December two young Malawian men, Tiwonge and Steven, decided to demonstrate their love by holding a traditional Malawian engagement ceremony. The event got reported in the media and the two men were promptly arrested for public indecency. They face up to in prison if convicted.



On the first day in court, the couple were jeered and laughed at by the public. Tiwonge got sick and collapsed. No one assisted him. Eventually he got to his feet and was allowed to clean himself up. He was then expected to publicly clean up the floor of the courtroom himself. The trial has now been postponed, but in the meantime the two men remain in prison, facing medical examinations to prove that they have had homosexual relations.

Apart from the inhuman treatment of Tiwonge and Steven, members of CEDEP an NGO which offered legal support to them were also arrested on trumped up charges of pornography relating to the organizations safer sex work.

What can you do?
IRAN: the Canadianbased Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR) has started a campaign called 346 No Execution. It calls for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran and its supported by a growing number of LGBT organizations internationally. We encourage you to take a look and take part.

UGANDA: There have already been protests and petitions in various countries, and statements of condemnation from various NGOs and governments including the EU and USA. Contact your local LGBT rights organization to find out what is going on in your country. You can also sign this global petition.

MALAWI: The organizations supporting Tiwonge and Steven need help. Check the websites of XXX and IGLHRC for more information about how you can support them. You can also take part in the IGLHRC letter writing campaign.

We will report any further developments as they happen. We sincerely hope there will be some good news.

In the meantime, wed like to thank all users who wrote to us about these issues. Special thanks also to IRQR, Peter Tatchell, IGLHRC and UKgaynews for providing further information and resources.

IRAN – Waiting on Death Row
An unspecified number of men are in prison in Iran awaiting the death penalty for the crime of Lavat (sodomy). Its almost impossible to get clear information about individual cases, but 3 have been brought to our attention. Nemat S., Mehdi P. and Mohsen Gh. were each sentenced to death for crimes committed while they were still . As they could not legally be executed. Instead they were imprisoned long enough to ensure that they could be eventually be executed as adults after their eighteenth birthdays.

This situation is unjust on so many levels theres no point in going into further details here. The fact remains if something is not done about this, pretty soon we can expect to see more cruel and tragic images of hanging like this one which was widely circulated in 2005.


UPDATE: Breakthrough in Malawi – President pardons gay couple (May 31, 2010)
On Saturday May 29th, President Bingu of Malawi granted a full pardon to Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga (read the story below).

Previously they had been sentenced to in prison with hard labour. The pardon and their subsequent release from prison came after 4 months of intense international pressure. But their future remains uncertain. Public opinion in Malawi is very hostile, and under the law, if they continue their relationship, they can again be arrested, tried and convicted for their love.

A Matter of Life and Death (February 2, 2010)
URGENT ACTION FOR IRAN, UGANDA & MALAWI

Over the past few years there has been a lot of progress on Gay Rights around the world. But recently weve been made aware of three countries where things seem to be moving backwards instead of forwards. These developments in Iran, Uganda and Malawi are so worrying, we feel it is our duty to inform you about them.

Basically, men (and women too) face the prospect of death or imprisonment just for being gay, or for protecting someone who is. In this article weve summarized whats going on. Please read it and consider what you might be able to do to help.

UPDATE: Breakthrough in Malawi – President pardons gay couple (May 31, 2010)
On Saturday May 29th, President Bingu of Malawi granted a full pardon to Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga (read the story below).

Previously they had been sentenced to in prison with hard labour. The pardon and their subsequent release from prison came after 4 months of intense international pressure. But their future remains uncertain. Public opinion in Malawi is very hostile, and under the law, if they continue their relationship, they can again be arrested, tried and convicted for their love.

A Matter of Life and Death (February 2, 2010)
URGENT ACTION FOR IRAN, UGANDA & MALAWI

Over the past few years there has been a lot of progress on Gay Rights around the world. But recently weve been made aware of three countries where things seem to be moving backwards instead of forwards. These developments in Iran, Uganda and Malawi are so worrying, we feel it is our duty to inform you about them.

Basically, men (and women too) face the prospect of death or imprisonment just for being gay, or for protecting someone who is. In this article weve summarized whats going on. Please read it and consider what you might be able to do to help.


Iraq: No Place to Hide (July 14, 2010)

Iraq is one of the most dangerous places for LGBT people on the planet. Thats why London based group Iraqi LGBT set up a small network of safe houses for people at risk of or assassination. These homes have literally been lifesavers for those taking refuge in them.

But last month, one safe house in Karbala was raided and there is growing concern that the Iraqi government is supporting a witchhunt against gay, lesbian and transgender people.

XXX
After the Raid (source: Iraqi LGBT)

police officers are reported to have burst into the house, and then violently up, and blindfolded the six occupants before driving them away in three vans. According to a witness, the police also confiscated computer equipment and then burned the house down.

Since the raid, one of the arrested people has turned up in hospital with his throat cut.

XXX
The slashed throat of one (Source: Iraqi LGBT)

Nothing is known about the whereabouts of the other five individuals, which include two gay men, one lesbian and two transgender people. It is feared they may have been taken to the Interior Ministry in Baghdad where, it is reported, many gay people have been tortured and executed in the last .

Government forces are said to have seized people at roadblocks and then handed them to militias who have tortured them before dumping their bodies.

Over 720 LGBT people have disappeared or been , many of whom have been tortured to death. There is strong evidence that the government is colluding with these militia groups, by rounding up known homosexual and transgender people. Media and politicians have been too quiet for too long about the towards LGBT people in Iraq, said Ali Hili, leader of Iraqi LGBT.

With the arrests and the seizure of computers in this raid, activists fear that the government may step up efforts to round up more of the countrys LGBT population.

This month, the management of GayRomeo wrote to the British and American ambassadors to the Netherlands, as well as to the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs, to express their deepest shock at these reports and their belief that they should use their influence in the region to ensure greater safety for the LGBT population.

PlanetRomeo Foundation
Amsterdam

Information Sources: Iraqi LGBT, UKGayNews

source: planet romeo

United Sates President Confirms that Osama Bin Laden is dead!



He was in a mansion outside the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.

US has confirmed the Death of Osama Bin Laden!

US media report al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden is dead. President Obama to address the nation shortly.
President Barack Obama made a huge announcement tonight that Osama Bin Laden is dead at about 11pm EST. The President called for a late-night press conference Sunday night to relay the information.
Bin Laden has been in hiding for years, and apparently after some sort of huge incident today, he is dead. NBC confirmed the news before President Obama’s announcement.

Bin Laden was connected to various terror attacks before and after the September 11 attacks, and has been in hiding since the 2001 attacks that brought down the Towers. No information has been released as to how the terrorist leader was .

Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is dead, and the U.S. has his body in its possession, a person familiar with the situation said Sunday.

President Barack Obama will make the announcement late Sunday at the White House.

The development capped a manhunt of more than a decade for the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that left 3,000 people dead and dramatically altered U.S. foreign policy and the nation’s sense of security.

On May 1, 2011, it was reported that bin Laden was during a U.S. military action. DNA from bin Laden’s body, compared with DNA samples on record from his dead sister, confirmed bin Laden’s identity. The body was recovered by the US military and is currently in its custody.

On this same day, at 23:40 pm EDT, President Obama addressed the nation affirming earlier confirmation by US officials that Osama bin Laden had been in a covert operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Obama indicated this was done by a small team that acted on his orders on that date.