NEW DELHI – A high court in New Delhi, India, delivered an historic judgment to amend a 149-year-old colonial-era law – Section 377 of the IPC – and decriminalize private consensual sex between adults of the same sex. It is the biggest victory yet for LGB rights in India and a major milestone in the…
LONDON – The Equality and Human Rights Commission has successfully defended an appeal in the Court of Appeal against a ruling in the County Court which found that hotel owners had directly discriminated against a gay couple. Peter and Hazelmary Bull, owners of the Chymorvah Hotel near Penzance, England appealed against the County Court’s decision…
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – The anti-gay draft law, prohibiting the so-called propaganda of “sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism” as well as pedophilia to minors, has passed in its second reading in St. Petersburg, Russia. Five activists who protested in front of the city parliament building were arrested and are still being detained. St. Petersburg, the…
STRASBOURG, France – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled Sweden’s Supreme Court was right to convict four men of hate crimes for distributing homophobic flyers at a school. According to the ECHR finding, the leaflets were “unnecessarily offensive” to be protected by free speech laws. According to Swedish news source The Local,…
VILNIUS, Lithuania – A Lithuanian man, 37, has been fined nearly $600 after commenting on Facebook for “another Hitler” to kill gays. PinkNews.co.uk reported that the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) alerted authorities to his post. He had commented under an article on Facebook about Lady Gaga’s criticism of the Lithuanian government. He wrote, “What we…
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Gábor Vona, the leader of Hungary’s minority Jobbik nationalist party has described the gay EuroGames being held in Budapest this summer as “the end of the world.” The LGBT EuroGames are an annual European sporting event governed by the European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF). It is the biggest athletic event…
SAO PÃULO – The Brazilian state of São Paulo, in partnership with the São Paulo City Metro (subway), have launched a campaign to combat homophobia throughout their subway stations. The campaign entitled, See beyond prejudice. Respect differences aims to increase respect toward, and decrease discrimination against, LGBT people living in Sao Paulo. The first stage…
REYKJAVIK, Iceland – Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik is holding its first international LGBT four day festival Feb 16-19. The Rainbow Reykjavik festival is described as a fascinating mix of culture, amazing nature, fantastic music, great food and a lot of fun. The festival’s event team, together with tour operators Pink Iceland and Reykjavik Excursions, have…
HAVANNA – Cuba’s first daughter has said the country’s lawmakers will consider legalizing same-sex civil unions this year. Pink News.co.uk reported that Mariela Castro, daughter of President Raul Castro and the director of the National Sex Education Centre told Cuba Si that the Cuban justice minister, Maria Esther Reus, announced that “… it is going…
AMSTERDAM – Aryeh Ralbag, the chief rabbi of Amsterdam since 2005, has been temporarily relieved of his duties by the board of the Orthodox Jewish community (NIHS) after he signed a document describing homosexuality as an inclination which “can be modified and healed.” The Jerusalem Post reported that the document, titled Declaration On The Torah…
