Worldwide struggle for LGBTIQ rights: News from the front lines
Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…
News in brief from Zimbabwe, Singapore, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Zambia, Ghana, Barbados, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Russia and Jamaica.
Zimbabwe: Court rules in favor of trans woman who was arrested for using the ladies’ toilet in a bar. Award: U.S. $400,000. (iHarare)
Singapore: Three cases challenging Singapore’s anti-gay law get their day in court. (Thomson-Reuters)
Myanmar: Nation’s criminal law and justice system perpetuates stigmatization, discrimination, and human rights violations against its LGBTQ people, new report finds. (International Commission of Jurists)
Turkmenistan: Doctor retracts statement that led to police probe and a two-week disappearance after he acknowledged he is gay. (Radio Free Europe)
Zambia (commentary by Kapya Kaoma): Instead of backing away from gay rights, presidential candidate Hakainde HichilemaI should declare that he would be a president for all Zambians. (Lusaka Times)
Ghana: Human Rights Watch urges Ghana to resist the anti-LGBT stance of the World Congress of Families. (HRW)
Barbados: Government ignores Inter-American Commission case against Barbados colonial-era anti-gay-sex law. (Barbados Today)
Lebanon: Nationwide protests that have thrown Lebanon into political and economic turmoil could end up being an opportunity for the LGBT+ community, according to the head of the country’s most prominent LGBT+ rights organisation. (Thomson-Reuters Foundation/Openly)
Saudi Arabia: Gay Saudi journalists detained in Australia after seeking asylum (Guardian)
Indonesia: Court rejects lawsuit by student journalists who were fired for publishing a short article about a lesbian relationship. (Jakarta Post)
Jamaica: Both sides in gay-rights dispute agree that a national referendum would be a bad idea. (Gleaner)
Saudi Arabia: Amid Saudi tourism drive, government security agency labels feminism, atheism and homosexuality as “extremism.” (Thomson-Reuters Foundation/Openly)
Russia: Criminal charges filed against publisher of gay-friendly YouTube chat show (HRW)
Qtalk: Gay Nigerian man seeks help with pain of family rejection