Gay Film Festival Coordinator Among Those Injured in Attack on Sarajevo Queer Festival

Post from Gay News Blog

The film festival coordinator of the International Lesbian and Gay Culture Network (ILGCN), was among those injured in Bosnia-Herzegovina last week when the Sarajevo Queer Festival was targeted by hooded men, some shouting Islamic slogans.

In an email to UK Gay News, Andrejs Visockis, who is also a board member of the Latvian NGO Mozaika, said that he was the Danish person reported as being injured.

Read more here or follow the link for a list of other references.

Ecuador Approves New Constitution Including Same-Sex Civil Unions

Post found on Towleroad

In a preliminary vote count, 65% of Ecuadorans approved a new constitution on Sunday. It widely expands the power and term limits of its President Rafael Correa an his theory of a "21st century socialism".

Read more from the Washington Post

20,000 expected at Taipei gay pride, Sept 27

Into its sixth year of running, Taipei LGBT Pride Parade is making its impact felt in Asia with the largest turnout of 15,000 last year. Fridae's Taipei correspondent Jason Tan talks to the organisers of this year's parade and finds out if there would be any surprises awaiting the community.

Read article by Jason Tan at http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=2301&viewarticle=1

Border agency accused of "illegal" deportation of gay Ugandan

A gay man has been removed from the UK and deported back to his native Uganda in what his supporters call an illegal act.

John "Bosco" Nyombi, 38, was due to be deported last week. He fears he will be persecuted on the grounds of his sexuality.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda, and gays caught by the police can face a life sentence in prison.

Read more at http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9044.html

Brazil's Lula Shows Support for Same-Sex Unions

Post found on: Towleroad

Quoting the AP:

"President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says that in Brazil, "there are men living with men, and women living with women" who 'build a good life together.' But a proposed law that would give all same-sex couples rights equal to those enjoyed by married heterosexuals has been stalled in Brazil's Congress for more than a decade. Silva said in an interview aired late Wednesday night by the government-run TV Brasil that politicians who oppose same-sex unions and yet seek the votes of gay men and women during elections are 'hypocrites.'"

In Conservative Nepal, a Tribune for the ‘Third Gender’ Speaks Out

Sunil Babu Pant takes every opportunity to convince his fellow parliamentarians that homosexuals are like any other people.

To read more, visit NYTimes.com:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/world/asia/20pant.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y&oref=slogin

Uganda LGBTI HIV/AIDS Activists Acquitted of Trespass Charges

*15th August 2008: Uganda LGBTI HIV/AIDS Activists Acquitted of Trespass Charges*

Today 15th August 2008 at Buganda road court before grade I magistrate Olive Kanyange Mukwaya and a fully packed court room that included LGBTI activists from Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and around the world.

The prosecution told court that the Director of Public Prosecution – DPP has dropped the charges of trespass against Pepe Juliana Onziema, Valentine Kalende and Usaam Mukwaya.

The magistrate court therefore dismissed the charges against the three and acquitted them.

It was a moment of joy and happiness for the LGBTI community of Uganda who were flocked by the media out side the court room.

Background:
On 4th June 2008 , three Human Rights Defenders were arrested during the just concluded HIV/AIDS Implementers meeting in Kampala. They were objecting to the exclusion of Sexual Minorities from the HIV/AIDS Prevention programmes in the country.

After two days and nights of detention in police cells, the three: Pepe Julian Onziema, Valentine Kalende and Usaam Mukwaya were charged with Criminal Trespass, a charge that carries a one year jail term according to section 302 of the Penal Code of Uganda. They were released on bail on the 6th of June 2008. They appeared in court for several hearings, today court acquitted them of the above charges.

SMUG and the entire LGBTI community of Uganda would like to express our gratitude to you all for the love and support.

Thank you,

Frank Mugisha
Human Rights Defender
Co-Chairperson
Sexual Minorities Uganda – SMUG
P.O. Box 70208, Clock Tower
Kampala – Uganda.
Tel: +256 312 294 859
Cell: +256 772 616 062
Email:fmugisha@sexualminoritiesuganda.org
www.sexualminoritiesuganda.org

"Justice and equality".