02 Nov 2017 - NPWJ News Digest on on LGBTI rights

Articles

U.S. blocks removal of discrimination reference from UN Olympics resolution
By Washington Blade, 02 Nov 2017

The U.S., France and Brazil have blocked efforts to remove a reference to discrimination that includes sexual orientation from an Olympics resolution at the U.N. The U.N. General Assembly on Nov. 13 is expected to adopt an “Olympic Truce Resolution” that calls for peace around the world during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The resolution also calls for global peace during the week before and after the Olympics, which will take place from Feb. 9-25. Egypt and Russia sought to remove a reference to Principle 6 — the Olympic Charter’s nondiscrimination clause — from the resolution because it specifically includes sexual orientation along with religion, gender and other factors. The version of resolution that is currently before the U.N. General Assembly includes the gay-inclusive Principle 6 language.

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Egypt Doesn’t Speak for Africa on LGBT Issues
Human Rights Watch , 02 Nov 2017

While Egypt conducts wholesale persecution of sexual and gender minorities at home, its United Nations representatives are undermining universal human rights by using the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) people as a wedge issue. 

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Calls for Hong Kong to better protect LGBT rights as city wins bid to host 2022 Gay Games
South China Morning Post, 02 Nov 2017

City’s tourism board will support the promotion of the event, adding that it’s ‘pleased’ at beating rivals Washington and Guadalajara to be next venue after Paris in 2018. 

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‘It Will Pass’: Egypt Set to Enact One of the World’s Most Extreme Anti-LGBTQ Laws
By National LGBT Rights Organization, 31 Oct 2017

Activists are calling on foreign nations to oppose the bill before it’s too late. Egypt is set to enact one of the world’s most sweeping and extreme pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation following a harsh crackdown on the local queer community. On Wednesday, member of parliament Ryad Abdel Sattar introduced a bill that would criminalize homosexuality in the North African nation, where sodomy isn’t prohibited current under law. Being found guilty for engaging in “perverted sexual relations” results in a one- to three-year prison sentence. Any subsequent conviction means five years behind bars. But the legislation goes much further than that. Similar to Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law, the bill attempts to totally extinguish LGBTQ life in Egypt.

 

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