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Nauru: Another country repeals anti-homosexuality law

Nauru: Another country repeals anti-homosexuality law

Location of Nauru northeast of Australia. (Map courtesy of Brittanica.com)
Location of Nauru northeast of Australia. (Map courtesy of Brittanica.com)

The tiny Pacific island country of Nauru has repealed its law against same-sex intimacy, reducing the total number of countries with anti-homosexuality laws to 77 worldwide, by this blog’s count.

By another count, the total is now 73 countries, according to an adjusted version of a list from ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.

Before the law was repealed, Nauru provided for up to 14 years in prison for sexual intercourse between men, but the law was not enforced. Sexual intimacy between women was not covered by that law.

For details about the total number of countries with anti-LGBT laws, see this blog’s article “77 countries where homosexuality is illegal.”

For news about Nauru’s repeal of its anti-gay law, read the following May 27 account from Radio NZ:

Nauru decriminalises homosexuality

Nauru has updated its Crimes Act, decriminalising homosexuality and abolishing suicide as an offence.

Like many countries, Nauru has human rights problems in addition to human rights successes. It is the focus of Australians' protests against their country's policy of shipping refugees there. (Photo courtesy of SydneyCriminalLawyers.com.au)
Like many countries, Nauru has human rights problems in addition to human rights successes. It is the focus of Australians’ protests against their country’s policy of shipping refugees there. (Photo courtesy of SydneyCriminalLawyers.com.au)

The government says parliament passed the Act two weeks ago to replace the Criminal Code of 1899 and to comply with international treaties and obligations.

The death penalty has been abolished.

The new law increases penalties for sexual offences and makes rape within marriage a crime.

See Also

It provides for new crimes such as stalking, voyeurism and posting pornography.

The Act prohibits slavery and torture to stop a child from being coerced to marry another person in exchange for a material benefit.

Parliament passed other acts, allowing for the establishment of an Office of the Public Legal Defender.

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View Comments (2)
  • Reblogged this on 8 Rays Leitrim and commented:
    Well worth a read! In it’s hay-day, Northwest LGBT Pride was instrumental in helping to provide a safe-space for asylum-seekers and refugees who were still at risk here in Ireland due to hostile attitudes held by their fellow asylum-seekers.

    Ideally, no one would be shunned or ridiculed or indeed verbally or physically harmed that they have to leave their family and home and so we here at 8 Rays Leitrim believe in being aware of the plight(s) faced by other members of the global Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans* community.

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