Nigeria anti-gay law ’ll fuel violence –UN Secretary General

United Nations’ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
expressed deep concern on Wednesday at a new
Nigerian law that criminalises same-sex
relationships, which he fears could fuel prejudice
and violence and risks obstructing an effective
HIV/AIDS response.
The bill, which contains penalties of up to 14 years
in prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex
“amorous relationships” and membership of gay
rights groups, was passed by the National
Assembly last May and signed into law by
President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday.
“The Secretary-General fears that the law may
fuel prejudice and violence, and notes with alarm
reports that police in northern Nigeria have
arrested individuals believed by the authorities to
be homosexuals, and may even have tortured
them,” Ban’s press office said in a statement
quoted by Reuters.
As in much of sub-Saharan Africa, anti-gay
sentiment and persecution of homosexuals is rife
in Nigeria, so the new legislation is likely to be
popular. Many African countries are seeking to
tighten laws against homosexuality.
Under existing Nigerian federal law, sodomy is
punishable by jail, but this bill legislates for a much
broader crackdown on homosexuals and lesbians,
who already live a largely underground existence.
“As UNAIDS and the Global Fund noted in a
statement yesterday, the law also risks
obstructing effective responses to HIV/AIDS,” Ban
said.