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Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, will visit Nigeria this week to meet with leaders who have imposed a harsh new anti-gay law there.
Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
After the law was signed by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Pillay commented: “Rarely have I seen a piece of legislation that in so few paragraphs directly violates so many basic, universal human rights.”
She said she hoped the constitutionality of the law would soon be reviewed by Nigeria’s Supreme Court.
“Rights to privacy and non-discrimination, rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, rights to freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention. This law undermines all of them,” she said.
The U.N. human rights office announced her visit, which is at the invitation of the Nigerian government:
UN human rights chief to visit Nigeria, 11-14 March 2014
GENEVA (10 March 2014) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, will conduct an official visit to Nigeria from 11 to 14 March 2014, at the invitation of the Government of Nigeria. It is the first such visit to Nigeria by any UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since the Office was created 20 years ago.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (Photo by Ricardo Stuckert via Wikimedia Commons)
During her visit, Pillay plans to meet President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Justice and Women Affairs and Social Development, and other senior officials in the Government, National Assembly and judiciary. The High Commissioner will also hold meetings with the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations, members of the international community and UN agencies.
The aim of the visit is to engage at the highest level with the Government and civil society on the promotion and protection of human rights, and to reaffirm the support of the UN Human Rights Office for their efforts to improve the human rights of all Nigerians. It is also intended to broaden the profile and understanding of human rights in general throughout the country.
At the end of her visit, on Friday 14 March at 11:30 a.m., the High Commissioner will hold a press conference at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
The law, which is misleadingly titled the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Law, threatens 10-year prison terms for anyone who organizes or takes part in a meeting of gay men, apparently including informational meetings about how to avoid HIV infection, as well as anyone who belongs to any organization that could be classified as a “gay organization,” whether it is seeking recognition of human rights for LGBT people, meeting the spiritual needs of LGBT people, or providing health care for LGBT people.
The law also calls for prison sentences of up to 14 years for any Nigerian who enters into a same-sex marriage and up to 10 years to anyone who attends or assists in a same-sex wedding in Nigeria. Those provisions are extreme, but their actual effect will be limited, because the idea of same-sex marriage has attracted little attention in Nigeria except from the people who fear it.
Dear Pillay, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. BUT, what is the penalty for gay activity in Saudi Arabia? Why have you not visited Saudi Arabia? Is it because you cannot threaten them with sanctions??
Question 2: Dear Pillay, what did you do about the rights violation in Syria apart from the talks? When are you planning to visit Syria?
Question 3: Dear Pillay, remember what you said in Zimbabwe? “At the end of her mission she also expressed concern over the country’s legislation on sexual orientation noting that the international principle of non-discrimination is included in the current Zimbabwean Constitution, as well as in international treaties to which the country is party to.” Are you really reading these constitutions or are these answers “one-fits all?”
Where were the UN rights chiefs when Nigeria was under the torture of military dictators? Is it because US officials were enjoying oil deals with the military junta and their cronies??
Enough of questions. Now can you tell us whose rights are being violated in Nigeria? Did you get the information that 92% of Nigerians were against gay lifestyle and same sex marriage? Should our honorable national assembly defend the rights 8% at the expense of 92? Madam, I had an alpha in O-level government as a student and if I still remember correctly, the minority are allowed to have their say but the majority STILL have their way. Whose rights then are being violated then? Which constitution? Our constitution defends the rights of the majority and that’s what the national assembly has done.
Must we accept LGBTs as normal just because Europe and the Americas say so?
I even hear those guys giving the excuse of being born with the “defective gay gene” Are they finally admitting that homo lifestyle is defective?
Won’t pedophiles one day discover the “defective pedophile gene” and ask for compensations for ill-treatment?!!! Come on, Pillay and her lies, let’s use common sense!!! Homosexuality is abnormal. Period!!!
Now even if Europe and America considers homo lifestyle as normal, don’t we have right to differ and to chart our own course? Enough of this meddling on matters we have resolved to lay to rest!!!
I normally don’t reply go garbage such as this, but no matter how large the majority and small the minority there should and must be equal protection under the law. How dare you write with such audacity and confidence in justification of oppression, and then try and play the bleeding heart victim card simultaneously. No one especially I feels sorry for you. Your country’s blatant disregard for human life and homophobic genocide is an affront to civilized nations everywhere, and you all are an embarrassment to the world. “Karma is only a bitch if you are” and right now she’s about 200!
What is this woman coming to do in nigeria? Pls woman we dont need you here.
Dear Pillay, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. BUT, what is the penalty for gay activity in Saudi Arabia? Why have you not visited Saudi Arabia? Is it because you cannot threaten them with sanctions??
Question 2: Dear Pillay, what did you do about the rights violation in Syria apart from the talks? When are you planning to visit Syria?
Question 3: Dear Pillay, remember what you said in Zimbabwe? “At the end of her mission she also expressed concern over the country’s legislation on sexual orientation noting that the international principle of non-discrimination is included in the current Zimbabwean Constitution, as well as in international treaties to which the country is party to.” Are you really reading these constitutions or are these answers “one-fits all?”
Where were the UN rights chiefs when Nigeria was under the torture of military dictators? Is it because US officials were enjoying oil deals with the military junta and their cronies??
Enough of questions. Now can you tell us whose rights are being violated in Nigeria? Did you get the information that 92% of Nigerians were against gay lifestyle and same sex marriage? Should our honorable national assembly defend the rights 8% at the expense of 92? Madam, I had an alpha in O-level government as a student and if I still remember correctly, the minority are allowed to have their say but the majority STILL have their way. Whose rights then are being violated then? Which constitution? Our constitution defends the rights of the majority and that’s what the national assembly has done.
Must we accept LGBTs as normal just because Europe and the Americas say so?
I even hear those guys giving the excuse of being born with the “defective gay gene” Are they finally admitting that homo lifestyle is defective?
Won’t pedophiles one day discover the “defective pedophile gene” and ask for compensations for ill-treatment?!!! Come on, Pillay and her lies, let’s use common sense!!! Homosexuality is abnormal. Period!!!
Now even if Europe and America considers homo lifestyle as normal, don’t we have right to differ and to chart our own course? Enough of this meddling on matters we have resolved to lay to rest!!!
Reblogged this on Embakasi Reloaded.
I normally don’t reply go garbage such as this, but no matter how large the majority and small the minority there should and must be equal protection under the law. How dare you write with such audacity and confidence in justification of oppression, and then try and play the bleeding heart victim card simultaneously. No one especially I feels sorry for you. Your country’s blatant disregard for human life and homophobic genocide is an affront to civilized nations everywhere, and you all are an embarrassment to the world. “Karma is only a bitch if you are” and right now she’s about 200!