* First official U.N. report cites killings, abuses
worldwide
* Coincides with end of Anwar sodomy trial in Malaysia
* Death penalty in five countries for consensual conduct
By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, Dec 15 (Reuters) – Homosexuals and transgender
people in all regions face discrimination and violence,
including killings, rape and torture because of their
orientation, and risk the death penalty in at least five
countries, the United Nations said on Thursday.
In the first official U.N. report on the issue, it called on
governments to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) people, prosecute all serious violations and repeal
discriminatory laws.
“Homophobic and transphobic violence has been recorded in
all regions. Such violence may be physical (including murder,
beatings, kidnappings, rape and sexual assault) or psychological
(including threats, coercion and arbitrary deprivations of
liberty),” said the report by U.N. High Commissioner for Human
Rights Navi Pillay.
The U.N. Human Rights Council commissioned the report in
June when it recognised the equal rights of LGBT people and said
there should be no discrimination or violence based on sexual
orientation. Western countries called the vote historic but
Islamic states firmly rejected it.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a speech to the
47-member forum in Geneva on Dec. 6, said “it should never be a
crime to be gay”.
Continued…
