15 February 2018- NPWJ News Digest on LGBTI rights

Articles

Increased violence against LGBTI community reported in Costa Rica
by The Tico Times, 14 Feb 2018

The Costa Rican Ombudswoman’s Office reported an increase in violence against members of Costa Rica’s LGBTI community following the Feb. 4 presidential elections, dominated by a debate over same-sex marriage. “The Ombudswoman’s Office received information this week… about cases of verbal and physical aggression towards LGBTI people, with a disproportionate increase since Election Day,” the government entity stated in a news release Wednesday.

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Indonesia is about to outlaw homosexual sex. Can we stop it?
by The Guardian, 13 Feb 2018

Following the raids at gay bars and saunas last year and the arrest and humiliation of 12 trans women in Aceh last month, Indonesia’s House of Representatives will decide on a set of revisions to the country’s criminal code on 14 February, which has not been updated since its days as a Dutch colony. With the draft containing these revisions already circulated, the criminalisation of the LGBT communities takes on a decidedly more potent tenor. Two sections, if passed, may outlaw extramarital and homosexual sex, respectively carrying the maximum prison sentence of five years and 12 years.

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Christian Schools Australia defends right to hire and fire teachers over beliefs
by the Guardian , 13 Feb 2018

Schools must retain the ability to hire and fire teachers and other staff based on their beliefs and adherence to religious codes, Christian Schools Australia has said. It also called for “the right to select students”, including to eject them from a school community, in a joint submission with Adventist Schools Australia to the Ruddock religious freedom review. During the marriage law postal survey campaign  the Catholic church threatened to sack gay teachers, nurses and other staff if they engaged in civil same-sex weddings in breach of church doctrine.

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Malaysian newspaper issues 'How to spot a gay' checklist
by the Independent, Harriet Agerholm, 12 Feb 2018

A Malaysian newspaper has published a list of “LGBT characteristics” it claims can be used to identify gay people, sparking anger. Popular Malay language newspaper Sinar Harian reportedly published the list alongside an article describing homosexuality as a “problem” that was becoming more prevalent in Malaysian society.

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