In Bahrain, another ripple from UN historic vote on LGBT rights

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By Paul Canning

At the beginning of the year we reported on how the overturning of a vote at the United Nations to exclude sexual orientation from a resolution against extrajudicial killings has sparked reaction all around the world.

The 17 June vote at the UN Human Rights Council, which backed LGBT human rights for the first time, is causing similar ripples.

In Bahrain, that country's vote against LGBT human rights caused an unprecedented statement from civil society.

The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society secretary-general Faisal Fulad said it was time the rights of gays, lesbians and transsexuals were recognised.

"There are gay MPs in Europe and hundreds of societies working actively to protect their rights worldwide," he said.

"Either we accept this or reject it. There is no other option in our society. These people have their rights that should be respected. I am not saying not to respect religion and culture, but gradual acceptance can slowly change the mindset."

Former Bahrain Human Rights Society secretary-general Abdulla Al Deerazi agreed:

"They are first human beings and have their rights. They have their freedom of choice which cannot be ignored but respected," he said.

"This UN resolution is a step forward recognising them in society. But the challenge is social sensitivity to this subject coupled with religious beliefs of people. They are living like any other citizen and should enjoy full rights."

Mr Fulad said gays and lesbians were often considered carriers of diseases.

"Some even consider them untouchable. But they have their own culture that is growing worldwide."

The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society, (BHRWS) was established in November 2004 to protect housemaids and to fight for women’s rights.

The Bahrain Human Rights Society is the main human rights group in Bahrain. Abdulla Al Deerazi was interrogated by the military in May during the current unrest in Bahrain.

The statement by the two human rights groups was followed up by a letter of support published by Gulf News from 'a High School student' who said:

"Being gay isn't a lifestyle choice or a preference, people were born that way, just like I was born Asian or you were born Arab."

In February this year over 100 men were arrested for "conduct against public morality."

Gay Middle East commented at the time:

"Traditionally Bahrain is known as relatively open minded and as the playground for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) – where people can relax, drink and enjoy prostitution. This is the second incident in less than three months where the police raided such establishments. These incidents raise questions if this is a change of policy and of the traditional tolerance in Bahrain."

Related articles

• UN passes historic LGBT human rights resolution (madikazemi.blogspot.com) 
• Historic UN vote on 'gay killings' sparks international reaction (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Will the "New Middle East" be a welcoming place for gays and lesbians?

Image by marcovdz via Flickr

Source: Trustlaw

By Hossein Alizadeh

Karim is a 27-year-old medical professional who until recently was doing everything possible to remain under the radar of former President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali’s secret service, while trying his best to help other gay men in Tunisia.  This included organizing support groups, teaching about sexually transmitted diseases, and arranging counseling — all while  avoiding politics.

The popular uprising in late December changed all of this. He began posting images of demonstrations and victims of government crackdowns on Facebook and toward the end, even caricatures of the dictator himself. Karim is one of many gay Tunisians who overcame his fear and joined millions at the barricades to overthrow a corrupt and dictatorial regime.

Like all other citizens, Arab lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals suffered through decades of injustice and oppression from despotic rulers and their regimes. In the headiness of the current moment, there is an expectation that the “new wave of freedom” will benefit LGBT people. But will they equally enjoy the fruits of this struggle? Is it time for LGBT Arabs to step out of the closet and demand basic human rights?

Read more »

In Bahrain, over 100 men arrested for "conduct against public morality"

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Source: Gay Middle East
Translated and adapted by Nedal Aziz, GME Arabic Editor

According to Al Wasat News Bahrainian police arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning (February 3, 2011) a group of over 100 young men, mostly from Bahrain and GCC countries (another article in Al Ayam claimed that in fact the number was 127 people, including a Syrian and Lebanese). 

One source mentioned (quoted by Al Wasat News) that the police was tipped off by local area residents complaining about noise levels emanating from the Rayan Hall in the el Had Sport Club.  Following the tip off, police immediately raided the party and arrested the men. Some were allegedly drunk, and others were described as wearing women’s’ clothing and make up. El had is a neighbourhood in Muharraq well known as being very devout, religious and conservative.

The attorney of Muharraq District, Nauef Yousef Mahmoud mentioned that group was arrested on the charge of conduct against public morals and will be referred to the Bahrain General Attorney. 

Al Ayam further claimed that the police is now engaged in a separation of the guests from the organisers of the party, and checking if any have a history of “debauchery or sodomy”.  Al Ayam also remarked that the process will take up to forty eight hours after which the embassies of the different nationalities will be informed.

At the time of publication of this article there were 144 extremely homophobic comments on the Al Wasat News article, using derogatory language and calling to apply the harshest penalties on the "sinners".

Traditionally Bahrain is known as relatively open minded and as the playground for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) – where people can relax, drink and enjoy prostitution. This is the second incident in less than three months where the police raided such establishments. These incidents raise questions if this is a change of policy and of the traditional tolerance in Bahrain.

Hague urged to question Mid-East governments on LGBT rights

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By Paul Canning

Update: Hague gave the following response:

Q. @nowishconceived: @WilliamJHague Are you going to address the human rights of LGBT people with this middle-east visit? #askFS

A. @nowishconceived: We object to discrimination against LGBT people in all circumstances & all places and yes, we make this very clear #askFS

~~~~~~

Activists have launched a campaign aimed at Foreign Secretary William Hague asking him to raise LGBT rights during his latest visit to the Middle East. Hague just visited Syria, is today in Tunisia and visiting Jordan next.

Our trendy diplomatic leader has asked for questions about foreign policy to be tweeted at him (@WilliamJHague) with a #askFS hashtag which he will answer tomorrow.

Two months ago he had a similar Q&A session but did not answer the few questions about LGBT issue.
 
Dan Littaeur, Editor of Gay Middle East website, said:

"There are several cases of people accused of alleged homosexual acts due to be executed in Iran, the incident in Bahrain, and hunting down of LGBT people in Iraq, and generally discrimination and persecution of LGBT people throughout the Middle East and North Africa."

The Conservative Party's 'Equalities Manifesto', launched during last year's election promised to "Fight for LGBT rights around the world." It said:

"Unfortunately there are still far too many countries around the world that discriminate against gay and lesbian people. We would use our relationships with other countries to push for unequivocal support for gay rights. For example, shadow Cabinet Minister Nick Herbert will attend the EuroPride rally in Warsaw as part of our commitment to making  the case for gay equality in Eastern Europe." 

"We would also use our influence in international groups like the Commonwealth to put pressure on countries where gay people are persecuted, such as Uganda, and we would change the rules so that gay people fleeing persecution were granted asylum."

Following the election and her appointment as Home Secretary, Theresa May was criticised over her past votes as an MP against LGBT rights.

Responding to questioning on BBC Question Time, she said that she would now vote differently and had "changed her mind" on issues such as lesbian and gay adoption.

However she went further and [my emphasis] said that she wanted to be judged on what the government did rather than said and pointed to the Conservatives Equalities manifesto.

The previous Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, launched the first Foreign Office annual human rights report. However, as we pointed out, in covering LGBT rights it almost exclusively focused on Europe through in a long country round-up it did include criticism of two Mid-East countries with the death penalty for homosexuality, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. But the annual report claimed that Iraqi "official figures do not show a significant overall increase in violence against, or systematic abuse of, the homosexual community by fundamentalists or militia groups". Neither Miliband's or Hague's Foreign Office has offered any criticism of Iraq's government, even when evidence mounted of their direct involvement in the killing of LGBT.

The Foreign Office under both Miliband and Hague also refused to support LGBT Muscovites.

Russian and Western activists blasted European national governments and the European Commission, the EU's executive branch, for denying them permission to host Moscow Pride on the grounds of an embassy. That would have greatly reduced the threat of violence to which activists are subjected while meeting in Russia.

'I was shocked by how these embassies sold human rights for the sake of economic interests,' Russian gay rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev said.

The Foreign Office has, however, developed a LGBT rights toolkit and the UK has participated in efforts to use EU foreign policy to push for LGBT rights internationally.

Related articles

• Michael Cashman: "Double Standards Lead to Double Misery" (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Nine 'Crossdressers' Arrested in Bahrain for Public Debauchery

Source: LGBT Group Talk

In Bahrain, where homosexuality is illegal, nine "crossdressers" were arrested on New Year's Eve, the Gulf News reports:

"They will be tried in a court of law after the public prosecution completes its investigation.

The police did not mention their nationalities, but said that they were from different Arab countries and that they were arrested in a hotel discotheque in Manama.

The crossdressers, heavily made-up and wearing provocative outfits, were soliciting revelers at the disco, according to the charges.

Some of the men had changed their looks with plastic surgery, the police said.

Homosexuality is banned in Bahrain, but lawmakers, wary of the growing number of gays in the country, have been pushing for a crackdown, including the adoption of tougher immigration measures and prompt deportations."

In the past, Bahrain has proposed surveillance of hairdressing salons and beauty and massage spas (because, you know, those are places gays like to hang out) as well as the monitoring of students in order to punish those who appear to have homosexual tendencies.