Homosexuality in Nigeria

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Geographical location of Nigeria

In Nigeria, homosexuality is taboo and homosexual acts are punished by the state.

illegality

States with Shari'a legislation: These areas have the death penalty for gays

Homosexual acts are illegal in Nigeria under Section 21, Articles 214 and 217 of the Criminal Code . A maximum prison sentence of up to 14 years is possible. In twelve northern states ( Bauchi , Borno , Gombe , Kaduna , Kano , Katsina , Kebbi , Jigawa , Niger , Sokoto , Yobe and Zamfara ), the Islamic law of the Sharia is enforced. In these northern states, the death penalty can be stoned .

Stricter legislation against homosexuals is currently being sought. Activities in non-governmental or civil society groups that campaign for homosexual equality or for the fight against HIV should, according to the law, under the title The Prohibition of Relationships Between Persons of the Same Sex, Celebration of Marriage by Them, and for Other Matters Connected Therewith be punished with five years in prison. According to the Nigerian Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo , the law was initiated by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on the grounds that same-sex sexual relations were un-African after a group demonstrated on the sidelines of the international conference on HIV / AIDS ICASA for gay marriage. The draft law was presented to the Nigerian Federal Executive Council on January 19, 2006 by Justice Minister Chief Bayo Ojo , where it was passed and is now to be made law by the Nigerian National Assembly. At the end of 2013, the aggravating law was passed and signed by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in January 2014 . The law no longer "only" punishes same-sex sex, but also prohibits homosexual meetings, same-sex kisses or simply attending a marriage ceremony or same-sex marriage, whether in Nigeria or abroad.

Anti-Discrimination Act

There are currently no anti-discrimination laws in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Recognition of homosexual couples

State recognition of same-sex couples does not exist in the form of same-sex marriage or in a registered partnership . In 2007, the Nigerian government introduced a bill to ban same-sex marriage in parliament. A massive and globally controversial tightening of the laws , which then also restricts social relationships such as dining out and media consumption, was discussed. However, due to the presidential elections in Nigeria in 2007, the law was no longer passed by parliament. In 2009, the bill banning same-sex marriages was brought back to parliament.

In the German Bundestag , the parliamentary group of the Greens called on the German government in a motion to stand up for the rights of homosexual people in Nigeria. The German Foreign Office announced that it would protest against the possible passing of a homophobic law. On March 21, 2007, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on Nigeria, among other things, to abolish the death penalty and not to curtail the rights of gays and lesbians.

Social situation

Homosexual people are pushed into the social underground because of the legal situation. Organizations like Alliance Rights Nigeria (ARN) have to work covertly.

Bisi Alimi outed himself in 2004 in a talk show live on television and thus became the first openly gay person in Nigeria. Despite death threats, he remained in Nigeria until 2007 and has since lived in exile in the United Kingdom, from where he draws attention to the situation of LGBT people in Nigeria and supports initiatives to improve the lives of LGBT people.

In 2005, a 50-year-old man was sentenced to death for homosexual intercourse in northern Nigeria. He had been charged with having homosexual contact with a much younger man. He was acquitted of these charges. When the judge asked him to admit that he had had homosexual contacts before, he was sentenced to death by stoning according to Sharia law. In 2007 the media reported that 18 men were arrested in a hotel in the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi and charged with homosexual acts.

A stricter legislative process against gays and lesbians is supported by the Christian Association of Nigeria under the leadership of the Nigerian primate Peter Akinola . In addition to the Christian Association of Nigeria, which represents the entirety of the Christian churches in Nigeria, the law is also supported by the National Muslim Center and the Anglican Church of Nigeria .

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Peter Tatchell: Nigeria - visious new anti gay law. World's most sweeping, draconian homophobic legislation ( Memento of the original from November 8, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , January 19, 2006 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.petertatchell.net
  2. ^ Press release by the Nigerian federal government ( memento of April 12, 2006 in the Internet Archive ), January 20, 2007
  3. ↑ queer.de: Against "conspiracy" of the West, Nigeria: Catholic Church welcomes homo persecution
  4. ↑ Independent Online: Nigeria must withdraw anti-gay bill ( Memento of September 29, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ BBC News: Nigeria moves to tighten gay laws , Feb. 14, 2007
  6. ↑ a b Queer.de: EU: Resolution against Nigeria , March 21, 2007
  7. ↑ Queer.de: Nigeria takes tough action against gays , December 11, 2006
  8. ↑ 365gay: Nigeria moves to ban gay marriage ( Memento of the original from April 3, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.365gay.com
  9. ↑ Lesbian organization in Switzerland: Nigeria is preparing a total ban on gay men ( Memento from September 24, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  10. ↑ Queer.de: Greens call for protection of homosexuals in Nigeria , March 6, 2009
  11. ^ TAZ: Fight in Hidden , January 24, 2007
  12. ↑ Information magazine on the subject of the death penalty: 50-year-old man to be stoned for homosexuality , July 22, 2005 (visited on January 15, 2005)
  13. ↑ Queer.de: Nigeria Gays Threatened with Death Penalty , August 13, 2007
  14. ↑ African Echo: Nigeria moves to tighten gay laws
  15. ^ Standing Committee Church of Nigeria: Message to the Nation ( Memento June 21, 2011 in the Internet Archive ), September 2006