Croatia: European Court issues fine for violating human rights of same-sex couples

The European Court of Human Rights, ECHR, fined Croatia for discriminating against same-sex couples by not granting residence permits to couples in which one partner comes from abroad. The case was brought by Bosnian national Danka Pajic who claimed the Croatian authorities breach her right to a family and a private life by not granting her a residence permit in 2011 on the basis of her union with her female Croatian partner.

The court ruled that Pajic was entitled to the same treatment as other foreigners have in marriages or non-marital partnerships and issued a 10,000 euro fine and another 5,690 euro in court fees, which Croatia must also pay Pajic. Read more via Balkan Insight

Israel: Knesset scraps bills for LGBT community

A day after marking its first ever LGBT rights day, the Knesset shot down six bills aimed at improving the gay community's status. Several opposition members joined the coalition in voting against the bills.

Two coalition MKs purporting to advance gay rights lent a hand to thwarting the bills. MK Amir Ohana (Likud), the first openly gay right-wing lawmaker, left the plenum without voting, while MK Sharren Haskel (Likud), head of the LGBT Knesset caucus, voted against the bills. The bills, proposed by opposition members only, addressed a variety of gay issues and needs. 

Ohana said he has fought prejudices against gay people all his life and intends to continue doing so in the future. Nonetheless, he refrained from supporting the bills for gay rights "because the result wouldn't have been any different. None of the proposals fell because it was one vote short." Read More via Haaretz 

US: Top North Carolina officials threaten to negate Charlotte LGBT rights law

The Charlotte City Council passed an LGBT nondiscrimination bill in a 7 to 4 vote — leading top NC Republicans to threaten state legislation that would negate the city ordinance. Gov. Pat McCrory had told city officials in an email one day before the vote that state lawmakers may take “immediate” action to block Charlotte’s new policy.

The state’s Speaker of the House, Tim Moore, followed up Tuesday morning to announce he would work with fellow Republicans to explore a “legislative intervention to correct [Charlotte’s] radical course.” Both leading Republicans argued the bill would present safety risks by allowing transgender people into restrooms that correspond with their gender identity.  Read more via Buzzfeed

Your rights in jeopardy, global assault on freedoms, warns Amnesty International

International protection of human rights is in danger of unravelling as short-term national self-interest and draconian security crackdowns have led to a wholesale assault on basic freedoms and rights, warned Amnesty International as it launched its annual assessment of human rights around the world.

“Your rights are in jeopardy: they are being treated with utter contempt by many governments around the world,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International. “Millions of people are suffering enormously at the hands of states and armed groups, while governments are shamelessly painting the protection of human rights as a threat to security, law and order or national ‘values.'"

Amnesty International is warning of an insidious and creeping trend undermining human rights which has come from governments deliberately attacking, underfunding or neglecting institutions that have been set up to help protect our rights. The report breaks down analysis by country and covers rights of all people, including focus on LGBTI, indigenous peoples, women and girls, and refugees.   Read more from Amnesty International

US: 2016 is the most dangerous year for transgender Americans

Transgender people are under attack like never before with more than three dozen proposed new laws across 16 states, according to a new report by the Human Rights Campaign. 

“This deeply disturbing trend is a stark reminder of just how vicious and deplorable  opponents of equality are in their relentless attacks against our community,” said HRC President Chad Griffin in a statement.

In all, HRC counts 44 bills targeting transgender people are in the works in 16 states. That’s more than twice as many as were introduced in all of 2015, and nearly two dozen of the measures focus on trans students. HRC called the anti-trans legislation “unprecedented,” “harmful” and “alarming.” According to a release accompanying the report, some bills seek to make it harder for trans people to access gender-affirming health care, others deny trans people access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams that align with their gender identity. 

And they are just a portion of what HRC called “a stunning surge of more than 175 anti-LGBT bills in 32 states this year.”  Read more via the Advocate
 

Australia: Malcolm Turnbull requests investigation into program helping LGBTI students

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has requested an investigation into a taxpayer-funded program aimed at helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex (LGBTI) school students.

Key points:

Safe Schools program criticised for raising 'inappropriate' sexual issues with children
Review of program's material expected to be completed by March
Cory Bernardi says "radical" program is "indoctrinating" children
Penny Wong says program addressing discrimination against LGBTI community
The Safe Schools education program is set to be reviewed following fierce criticism from some Coalition backbenchers.

According to its website, the Safe Schools Coalition offers resources and support to equip staff and students with "skills, practical ideas and greater confidence" to create a safe and inclusive environment for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students, staff and families.

But some Coalition MPs have been agitating against the program, saying it raises sexual issues which are inappropriate for teenagers and young children. Read more via ABC

Namibia: Condoms among inmates divide opinion

The Windhoek Correctional Facility says the constitution does not allow same-sex individuals to engage in sex, hence condoms cannot be distributed in correctional facilities.

"Same sex is still regarded as a crime in Namibia and if we distribute condoms it will be seen as if we are encouraging that. We want to maintain law and order," said the officer in charge of the Windhoek Correctional Facility, Deputy Commissioner Victor Eichab.

His comments came in the light of Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Bernard Haufiku's call for the distribution of condoms in prisons. Haufiku said that for Namibia to make strides in HIV/AIDS prevention and education, circumcision and the distribution of more condoms is needed including in prisons.

"In most cases we educate offenders to abstain from sexual activities because it's an offence. We know that it is not easy, as studies have shown that being in custody does not take away people's desire for intimacy," said Eichab.  Read more via All Africa
Namibia

Cambodia: Program to deal with LGBT issues in works

The Ministry of Information says it is working with LGBT rights groups to create a regular radio program that discusses LGBT issues, with the aim of making society more welcoming. Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith is cooperating with NGO Cam-ASEAN Youth Future founder Srun Srorn, who will organise the program.

The radio show will discuss human rights and the needs of the LGBT communities, such as the right to get legal recognition for married status. “LGBTs are also human beings, they are not deputy humans,” said Kanharith. “They are part of society.”

Kanharith on Tuesday organised a meeting with representatives from the Ministries of Health, Education, Interior, and Women’s Affairs. He told them that it’s important to engage LGBT people because they are marginalised and made to feel unwelcome. Read more via Phnom Penh Post

Turkey: Human Rights and Equality Foundation of Turkey debate inclusion of LGBT rights

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey Commission on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men discussed the proposal that a Human Rights and Equality Foundation of Turkey should be formed as a subsidiary organ in order to focus on protecting and improving human rights based on individual’s dignity, to ensure their right to be treated equally, and to prevent discrimination in benefiting from lawful rights and freedom.

Candan Yüceer, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Tekirdağ MP, stated that LGBT individuals are faced with discrimination and killed. Yüceer further added that overlooking this problem, and interpreting the recommendations listed in the international agreements would mean ignoring the individuals who are being discriminated against. Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP, emphasized that sexual orientation and gender identity must be included in the proposal, and that turning a blind eye to these individuals would not simply make them disappear.

Ayşe Doğan, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Tekirdağ MP, made the following homophobic remarks in response to Yüceer and Kerestecioğlu responded that homosexuality is 'one of the biggest threats to our society' and should not be included in the human rights agenda.  

 Read more via LGBTI Turkey
 

Brazil: State Secretary of Human Rights dismissed over gay ‘cure’ remarks

A Brazilian governor has fired his official human rights secretary because the man expressed a belief in curing homosexuality. Ezequiel Teixeira told the O Globo newspaper that he believed in a "gay cure" comparable to a cure for AIDS or cancer and declared his opposition to gay marriage. Teixeira's also an evangelical minister.

After the publication of the interview, Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Luiz Fernando Pezao said he was "totally opposed" to Teixeira's comments and replaced him with Paulo Melo, a former president of the state assembly. Rio faces a financial crunch, and it recently closed down four LBGT call centers and an anti-homophobia project run by the state government has fired 78 people. Read more via Gospel Prime 

Portugal: Abortion laws liberalized and same sex couples adoption rights granted

The Portuguese Parliament, ruled by a Socialist-Communist majority coalition, has further liberalized abortion laws and granted same-sex couples the right to adopt children. Overturning a veto by President Aníbal Cavaco Silva last month, the new ruling allows for same sex couples to adopt children and removes the mandatory requirement that women seeking an abortion receive prior counselling and pay for the procedure.

The President explained his veto by asking for more public debate on such “sensitive social topics.”

In 2010, the Portuguese Parliament had approved equal rights for same-sex marriages, excluding adoption rights. Portugal is among the first 10 counties in the world to allow same-sex marriages. Today, Portugal is one of the few countries in the world to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in its Constitution.   Read more via PAJ 

Netherlands: Court convicts, fines politician for anti-gay statements

A Dutch court convicted former Amsterdam politician Delano Felter for comments he made in 2010 against homosexuals. He was fined one thousand euros by the court, which conditionally suspended half the amount for two years.

“The gay profile is simply too dominant. I think that there are too many gays in the government,” he told broadcaster AT5. These people with these sexual deviations must basically be contested by heterosexuals,” he said. The court found his comments “unnecessarily offensive,” and incited discrimination against a group of people.

Felter was the leader of the Republikeinse Moderne Partij, or Modern Republican Party, when he made the remarks on camera as part of a political debate. 

 Read more via Netherlands Times