Amnesty International Calls On President Jonathan To Reject Anti-Gay Bill

Amnesty International on Friday urged Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan to reject the bill that would outlaw gay marriage and crackdown on gay rights after lawmakers approved the final version for his signature.

Aster van Kregten, Amnesty International’s Africa Deputy Director said:

This discriminatory bill, which not only criminalises same-sex marriage but also makes public displays of affection and even socialising in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex community illegal, must be rejected by the President. Cos if the President signs the bill into law, it would make Nigeria one of the least tolerant societies in the world and have catastrophic consequences for the country’s LGBTI community and human rights organisations.

Under Nigeria’s bill, anyone who enters into a same-marriage or “civil union” can be sentenced to 14 years in prison.
It also says “any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations or directly or indirectly makes a public show of same-sex amorous relationship commits an offence and shall be liable to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”
Jonathan’s intentions regarding the bill, according to PMNews, are not clear.