Success Stories!

Uganda: LGBT Human Rights Defenders, Oundo George and Klilza Brenda, released

On 17 September 2008, Oundo George and Kiiza Brenda, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights defenders were released after a week in police detention at Nabweru Police Post. They were released on bond, after being charged for 'involvement in indecent practices'. Oundo George and Kiiza Brenda were prisoners of conscience arrested solely for their gender identity. Individuals detained by the Ugandan police for these reasons are at serious risk of ill-treatment. Consensual same-sex acts are illegal in Uganda and mistreatment during detention is common due to the homophobic attitudes of the Ugandan police. In detention, both were denied food for the first three days, despite the fact that Oundo George is diabetic. Oundo George was also denied medical treatment for his diabetes, which left him unwell after his condition worsened. They only received food when family and friends were able to bring it to them. The police sought information from Oundo George and Kiiza Brenda in order to identify other LGBT individuals. They were repeatedly beaten and mistreated whilst in detention. They were interrogated while being slapped and beaten with wooden batons, during which police demanded that they provide the names of, or further identify, other LGBT individuals. Thank you to all who sent appeals. » Learn more - Uganda: Amnesty International condemns attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people
2009-04-20

Swiss Migration Office agrees to reexamine the asylum case of Anatole Zali Anatole Zali, arrived in Switzerland from Cameroon on 3 February and claimed asylum on the grounds that he had been threatened because of his sexual orientation, and was at risk of imprisonment if he stayed in Cameroon. On 14 February 2008, the Swiss Migration Office ruled that Anatole Zali should be returned to Cameroon and was given five days to appeal against this decision. He did not have access to state-funded representation and he had to submit his appeal himself. His appeal was rejected. Following international pressure, including by Amnesty International members, the Migration Office agreed to reconsider Anatole Zali's asylum claim, on the basis that he had not had access to a fair and satisfactory asylum procedure. His request for the reconsideration of his asylum claim was supported by Amnesty International, which also noted that international law prohibits the return of anyone to a country where they would be at risk of serious human rights violations. Thank you to all who sent appeals.
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2009-04-20

Nicaragua: Sodomy Laws Repealed

On June 11, 1992 the Nicaraguan National Assembly approved a number of amendments to the Penal Code regarding sexual offences. Article 204 of the Penal Code, in its amended version, established the crime of "sodomy". In November 1992 a coalition known as the Campaign for Sexuality without Prejudices, comprising, amongst others, lawyers and lesbian and gay activists, presented an appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice, challenging the law as unconstitutional. The appeal presented detailed arguments stating that Article 204 of the revised Penal Code violated 12 articles of the Nicaraguan constitution, including the right to privacy, to freedom of expression and to non-discrimination before the law. It also argued that by violating these rights, Article 204 contravened international human rights standards. In March 1994, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal, concluding that Article 204 did not violate any of the rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

Later, reports in the media and from human rights activists in Nicaragua indicate that President Enrique Bolaños had allegedly ordered that a list of all members of his government "suspected" of being part of the "gay-lesbian world" be compiled so he could dismiss them before leaving office in January 2007 following the November 2006 election. Such high-level homophobia concerns Amnesty International as it gives official sanction to acts of violence committed against LGBT people.

In September 2007, a movement initiated by Amnesty International Mexico, culminated in protests against the country’s sodomy laws taking place outside Nicaraguan embassies and consulates in over 10 countries worldwide, including Mexico, Chile, Germany, Canada, and Iceland. A new Penal Code repealing Article 204 came into force on 1 March 2008.

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» Read Love, hate and the law: decriminalizing homosexuality
2009-04-20

Latvia Pride

LATVIA: Gay Pride events in Riga, Latvia over the past two years have been interrupted by violent protests and bans by the authorities. In 2007 Amnesty supporters sent over a thousand appeals to the Latvian authorities urging safety for participants in the Riga Pride event. Over 70 Amnesty activists took part in the event. Watch the video and read Amnesty's blog.

2007-11-15

Six Major Metropolitan Police Departments Take the Pledge

As part of the campaign following the release of AIUSA's Stonewalled report, activists asked police departments to sign a pledge to take concrete steps to end targeting of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals for police abuse and misconduct.

Police Departments that have signed the pledge so far: Thanks to everyone who took part in the Stonewalled campaign!
2007-02-22

LGBT NGO's granted consultative status at the UN

In January 2006 three LGBT groups were denied the right to a fair hearing on their application for consultative status to the UN's Economic and Social Council. The US aligned itself with severely oppressive regimes including Iran, China, Sudan and Zimbabwe prompting an Amnesty International campaign pressuring Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to change the US position and grant LGBT rights groups a voice at the United Nations. The US reversed its stance and on December 11, 2006 the applications were approved allowing the groups to be able to directly raise human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations. Read the ECOSOC press release »
2006-12-11

Lim Taehoon has been released!

Lim Taehoon (28), a South Korean gay rights activist was arrested on February 26, 2004 for refusing to serve mandatory military service. Lim refused conscription because of his beliefs in non-violence and peace, and on grounds that the South Korean military discriminates against gay, bisexual and transgender people.
2005-07-01

Illinois passes anti-discrimination Law

On January 11, 2005, Illinois became the 15th US state to amend its state human rights statute to bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. Thanks to all OUTfront supporters who took part in this action.
2005-01-11

"I can tell you that these letters work".

Thanks to all who joined AI in calling for the release of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. He was freed on September 2, 2004. Ibrahim had been arrested after policy disagreements with then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. He was charged with "abuse of power" and sodomy.
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2004-09-02

The Blue Diamond Society

The 39 metis (male transvestites) arrested in Kathmandu on 9 August were released on bail on 20 August. The Blue Diamond Society, a local organization which campaigns for the rights of sexual minorities, has sent its "sincere and grateful thanks" for the work done on behalf of the 39, all of whom are members of the Society. They were arrested on the street and in bars and nightclubs. All were apparently told that they were being taken to a meeting, and to an identity parade to pick out the man who had attacked another meti on 7 August. All 39 were reportedly kept together in a very small and overcrowded cell. Police are alleged to have beaten two of the men severely, and verbally abused all of them, saying that acid should be thrown in their faces and they did not deserve to live. Many of the 39 are illiterate, and were reportedly forced to sign statements they could not read, while others, who could read, were not allowed to see the documents they signed.
2004-08-20

Journalist Ruslan Sharipov has been moved from prison to house arrest

On 13 March he was reportedly transferred to a detention centre in Tashkent region best described as an "open" prison (koloniya-poseleniye, a "penal colony settlement"). He has reportedly been allowed to live with a relative, who lives close by, so he is effectively under house arrest. He has to report daily to the prison authorities and must not undertake any public activities such as attending meetings or writing articles for publication. If he breaks these conditions he could be sent back to a stricter regime penal colony to serve the remainder of his sentence. Under a December 2003 presidential amnesty his sentence was reduced to three years, one month and 17 days. According to at least one official statement from the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs he could qualify for early release after he has served a third of his sentence, which would be on 11 June 2004.
2004-06-11

Wissam Tawfiq Abyad, a Prisoner of Conscience, was released on January 15, 2004. Wissam was arrested, detained and charged with "habitual debauchery" after he went to meet a contact he made at a gay website. Wissam's private conversations with the man over the Internet were used as evidence against him.
2004-01-15

Zaki Sayid Zaki 'Abd al-Malak has been released!

We have learnt that the release of Zaki Sayid Zaki 'Abd al-Malak (featured in Worldwide Appeal - The Wire, April 2003) has been ordered after he completed three-quarters of his sentence in April. As you may remember, Amnesty International adopted him as a prisoner of conscience on the basis that he was imprisoned solely on the grounds of his actual or perceived sexual orientation.
2003-12-01