Minneapolis condemns Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill while confusion reigns in Rwanda

Opposition to Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill continues, with the City Council of Minneapolis, America passing a resolution condemning the bill.

Minneapolis is a sister city of Kampala, the Ugandan capital.

According to the blog Things I feel strongly about, the Minneapolis bill was co-authored by city council members Scott Benson and Cam Gordon.

America's Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, Johnnie Carson, has urged Ugandian President Yoweri Museveni, who is able to veto bills, "to do everything he can to stop this particular legislation."

Yesterday, it was confirmer that the Head of Mission at Australia’s High Commission in neighbouring Kenya had made personal representations to the Ugandan Government over the bill

Sadly, Christian Voice's Stephen Green has come out in support of the bill, saying: "What is at stake here is no less than Uganda 's status as a sovereign nation. Will they allow themselves to be bullied by Western secularists, or will they stand by their Christian values and the traditional African way of life?

"I hope and pray it will be the latter, and that the Western homosexuals and abortionists who are trying to corrupt their youth will be sent a firm message to stop their wickedness."

Personally, I don't think supporting the death penalty for homosexuals is very Christian, and Stephen Green ignores the opposition to the bill from those who are religious, such as the Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor Rowan Williams.

Is Rwanda trying to criminalise homosexuality?

Less attention has been given to an alleged attempt to criminalise homosexuality in Rwanda.

Human rights groups have claimed than an amendement has been put forward proposing that those who "practice," "encourage," or "sensitise" someone towards homosexual relations could recieve a prison term of five to 10 years in addition to a large fine, according to Voice of America.

However, Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama claims that: "there was nothing like that in the parliament that day...these people should distinguish between issues debated by private parties and concrete proposals from the government."

He also made the welcome statement that sexual orientation is a private matter not a state business, according to The New Times.

So it is confusing as to what is going on!

Somalian Mohamed Abukar Ibrahim stoned to death for adultery by insurgent group: Disturbing online reaction

Last week, the Daily Mail reported on the stoning to death of 48-year-old Mohamed Abukar Ibrahim by Hizbul Islam, an Islamist insurgent group, as well as the shooting of an (unnamed) man accused of murder.

The paper has published graphic photos showing the barbarity of the killings, which took place in Afgoye, 20 miles from the capital Mogadishu in front of hundreds of residents.

Osman Siidow Hasan, acting as a "rebel judge", told the crowd: "This is their day of justice...We investigated and they confessed."

Hizbul Islam's leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, called for suicide attacks against African Union peacekeepers operating in Mogadishu in September.


Disturbing reaction by online commentators:

The "Speak You're Branes" (yes, that is the correct title) blog yesterday highlighted some of the comments left on the Daily Mail story.

Some of them appear to be supportive of the murders, while others seem to be arguing for some kind of gender balance. From the "Speak You're Branes" post:

I know, it’s vile and cruel for someone to have to go through something like that. On the other hand, however, why wasn’t the woman involved stoned to death? I can understand why, to an extent, but I personally think both parties involved should have the SAME sentence, as adultery is a very wrong thing to do. Not punishable by a very…ah… painful death, but most certainly something painful. It’s also quite humiliating for the poor man who was stoned to death to have photos taken of him while it happened. In my opinion, those photos shouldn’t have been taken.
Charlotte Delooze, Ashton, Manchester.

The usual "Vote BNP" comments also appear, as well as this comment which has been "red flagged" 349 times:

"It would be a good punishment in this country for paedophiles and some of the sickest murderers, etc...Anyone who red flags this, must either be a paedophile themselves or a supporter of such monsters."

I find it very disturbing that the reaction to someone being stoned to death by many of the readers is "How can we use this to promote our own causes/political views?"

Do people need to be better educated? Or are the sort of people who left the above comments simply selfish and dogmatic? It should be noted that some of the comments do have some merit and add to the debate.

No doubt some people will also have read the article and thought "How dare we in the West dicate to a Somalian Islamist group how to behave." The sort of people who would hold artifical borders above human rights.

Murders of trade unionists in Guatemala condemned by International Trade Union Conference

The International Trade Union Conferedation (ITUC) has strongly condemned the recent murders of two members of the Consejo Político del Movimiento Sindical, Indígena y Campesino Guatemalteco (MSICG), Guatemala's trade union, indigenous and campesino (peasent) movement.

According to Scoop News, MSICG founding member Miguel Chacaj Jax died on 13 October at the hands of state security forces.

Pedro Ramirez De La Cruz, director of Indigenous Defenders of the Verapazes and a MSICG member, was assassinated on 29 November.

According to the Guatemela Human Rights Commission (USA), four other trade unionists have been murdered in Guatemela this year. In total, seventeen have been murdered in the past three years.

Trade unionist Jorge Chen Álvarez, an official in the National Health Workers' Union, also received a death threat on November 29.

The commission claims that no progress has been made in arresting and prosecuting those responsible for the murders any trade unionists since 2007.

You can send a letter to Attorney General Velasequez calling for a full investigation of the murders.

Brendan Barber, the General Secretary of Britain's Trade Union Congress, has also written to Guatamelan Ambassador Edmundo Urrutia saying: "We requested last month in a letter on 2 November concerning the murder of Victor Galvez that you convey to the government of President Colom our deep concerns about the situation facing trade unionists in Guatemala and our call for urgent measures to be taken at all levels to find and hold to account those responsible for their murder. We regret that we have not yet received a response to this letter, but urge you again to convey our views to your government."

Eviction of trade unionists from Guatemala City's Central Plaza:

On Human Rights Day, 27 members of the Peten Distributors Workers´ Union (SITRAPETEN) were evicted from their make-shift homes in Guatemala City's Central Plaza by the National Civil Police and the Municipal Transit Police. Tear gas was used on them and two observers.

You can see video of the eviction below:



It has been alleged that, as well as their tents, all their personal belongings were taken as well.

The SITRAPETEN members have occupied Central Plaza since being fired for creating the union last year.

European Parliament adopts resolution critical of Azerbaijan's media curbs

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution critical of media freedom in Azerbaijan, which was put forward by several MEP's, including former Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The resolution calls for the release of journalists critical of the regime, such as Eynulla Fatullayev, as well as bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hacizade.

Tunne Kelam, an Estonian MEP, told the session: "The widespread practice of harassment, prosecution, and conviction of opposition journalists [in Azerbaijan] is alarming.

"We call on Azerbaijani authorities to release the journalists in jail without further delay. This concerns also two young bloggers [Emin Milli and Adnan Hacizade]."

The resolution also called for the renewal of the radio licences of international broadcasters BBC World Service, Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, banned on local frequencies last year.

Also debated during the session was Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill. A debate and vote on the case of West Sahara human rights activist Aminatou Haidar were removed from the agenda.

Elections in Azerbaijan next week:

In related news, Azerbaijan will be holding muncipal election on Wednesday.

A delegation to monitor the elections, led by Turkish MP Gaya Doganoglu, has been agreed.

The Baku branch of the International Institute of Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection for the Citizens of the IPA CIS Member Nations has issued a report saying the pre-election conditions are "democratic with freedom of speech and press and a favorable atmosphere for the activities of political authorities."

This is welcome news.

Mockery of ginger people must be condemned

Tesco, as mentioned on Have I Got News For You last night, has removed a rather unpleasent card laughing at ginger people after customer complaints.

The card's "joke" was "Santa loves all kids. Even ginger ones". Hilarious.

A Virgin Media advert for Living TV's Dating In The Dark, which asked "How do you spot a ginger in the dark?" has also been banned this week by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The reaction to the removal of the gingerist card has been met with horror by some commentators, as can be seen from the comments section of the story in the Basildon Recorder, the Essex town where the company making the cards is located.

Vange Les says: "It seems we're not allowed to have a laugh about anything these days for fear of annoying somebody. We used to hear jokes on TV about Irish, Scots, black people, Pakistanis etc, all of which were totally innocent, just amusing, and I'm sure almost everybody thought the same. But these days we can't speak or write about anything or anybody."

Yes, the days of Bernard Manning. You can still hear jokes about Irish and Scottish people on television, incidentaly. Mr Les does not seem to have watched Mock the Week.

thelonewhinger from Benfleet says: "Great future in prospect as we all stride on looking neither left nor right with blank expression, uttering nought and writing nought lest it offends someone somewhere who demands the usual mandatory apology - welcome to robot Britain."

"Beth the original one" from Hawkwell says: "I am blonde and i have found quite a lot of the blonde jokes funny, good job i didnt go running to the echo whenever a blonde joke was cracked, otherwise the echo would have headlines for the next 10 decades."

Those on the recieving end of anti-ginger abuse:

Beth's comment ignores the fact that very few, if any, cases of people bullied for having blonde hair have been reported, while there are a number of cases of people bullied for having ginger hair.

A couple of years ago in Newcastle, the Chronicle Live reported the horrific story of a ginger-haired family forced to move three times after physical and verbal abuse.

Michele Elliott of anti-bullying charity Kidscape told the Chronicle Live: "What people do not realise is that this is a hate campaign. It is not just bullying."

The full-time dad [Kevin Chapman] said: "It started more than three years ago, when the kids started getting bullied by local lads. They've been punched and kicked and thrown over a hedge. Every time they go out these gangs have got to them.

"We can't even go to the local shops which are only two minutes away. The kids get all their stuff taken off them. The abuse we have to endure is just disgusting. I mean, having ginger hair, you expect people to have a bit of fun, but this is just unbelievable."

Last week Mr Chapman says Kevin was assaulted by a girl in the street, who punched him repeatedly, blacking his eye.

And on Wednesday, Mr Chapman returned from an appointment with social services to find his windows had been put through.

Recently, in Barrie, Canada, a number of schoolchildren were attacked as part of "National Kick A Ginger Day". This "tradition" began last year, according to Barrie police spokesperson Detective Constable Keira Brooks.

Attacks on "Kick A Ginger Day" also took place in California, where seven students at A.E. Wright Middle School were assualted, according to the Huffington Post.

Finlo Rohrer of the BBC also reports on gingerism in a BBC Magazine article:

Photographer Charlotte Rushton has been chronicling the UK's redheads for a book, Ginger Snaps. Of the 300 she snapped, only two have been spared bullying because of their hair. She herself has suffered verbal abuse from complete strangers.

"I was on the Tube, pregnant, and I was really humiliated by this drunk yob. He was shouting 'do the cuffs and the collars match?' He got right up into my face. You don't do that to other people."

Some people on Youtube also like to make gingerist videos. I've embedded a rather foul one below from beaver4074. It reminds me of some of the guff that the far right produce. For some reason, Youtube don't regard the video as hate speech.



The legal situation regarding gingerism:

Catherine Barker, an employment law specialist at Pinsent Masons, told the Register that anti-discrimination legislation does not prohibit less favourable treatment due to hair colour.

However, Baker says: "It could however amount to bullying... In the workplace, if an employee feels that they are being bullied or harassed for any reason, for example because of their hair colour or appearance, they could lodge a grievance and ultimately could even take the fairly drastic step of resigning and claim constructive dismissal if they could show that their employer failed to intervene to prevent the bullying or harassment concerned."

Despite the failure of anti discrimination legislation to prevent abuse of ginger haired people, it is clear that gingerism is a real issue. I hope that people will realise that opposing gingerism is not intended to limit freedom of speech but simply to allow people the right to be treated as a human being.

Further reading:

In the Netherlands, Redhead Day takes place on September 5 in Breda. People come from all over the world, with 3,000 ginger people and 7,000 non-ginger people attending this year, the BBC reports.

Ceri Radford of the Daily Telegraph offers a well articulated opposing view on the gingerist Tesco Christmas card.

The Gingerism blog is worth reading for more information on this form of discrimination.

Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli to attend appeal hearing in Baku,Azerbaijan on Tuesday

Azerbaijan bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Abdullayev, who were jailed for several years on a variety of charges in November, have been granted a hearing at the Baku Court of Appeal on Tuesday 22 December.

Amnesty International has prepared a letter you can send online to Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov and Ombudsperson Professor Elmira Suleymanova.

Amnesty's Neil Durkin also reminds me that former Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a speech in Azerbaijan recently, praising the building of a new methanol power plant by the Azerbaijan Methanol Company (AzMeCo). Nizami Piriyev, AzMeCo's owner, was Mr Blair's host.

The speech, which the Daily Mail has published an extract from, does not appear to mention human rights abuses in the country.

One such abuse is the jailing of journalist and regime critic Eynulla Fətullayev for eight and a half years in 2007 on politically motivated charges of defamation, terrorism, tax evasion and incitement of ethnic hatred.

Amnesty International considers Eynulla Fətullayev a prisoner of conscience. You can send a card to him as part of the Greetings Card Campaign.

On a side note, Nizami Piriyev's speech on the methanol power plant is interesting reading for anyone who, like me, is interested in the environment.

BBC Two's Newsnight on Trafigura

The law firm Carter Ruck has forced the BBC to remove a video report from the site of the alleged dumping of toxic waste by commodities trading company Trafigura.

The alleged dumping is said to have led to 108,000 people in Côte d'Ivoire(Ivory Coast) needing to seek medical attention.

You can view the Newsnight report "Dirty tricks and toxic waste in Ivory Coast" at the fantastic Wikileaks.

Via Iain Dale's Diary, a report by Newsnight on the super injunction.



Iain Dale says:"You cannot suppress things like this in the modern media age. If one organisation caves in, there will the dozens more only to willing to step up to the plate."

If you're visiting from Carter-Ruck or Trafigura, hello!

Private Eye often cover Carter-Ruck, but I couldn't possibly comment :)

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell to stand down as Green Party candidate for Oxford East

Tireless human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who is one of my heroes,is standing down as Green Party candidate for Oxford East, Pink News.co.uk reports.

In a statement, Tatchell said that brain injuries received at the hands of Zimbabwian President Robert Mugabe's bodyguards and Russian neo-nazis have seriously affected his health.

He would be challenging the sitting MP Andrew Smith (Labour) for the seat.

Peter Tatchell said: "It would not be right for me to seek election if I could not do the job of an MP to the high standards that I want and that Oxford East voters have a right to expect.

"If I was elected, I could manage the parliamentary duties or the constituency work. But my health is not strong enough for me to do both...

"I don't regret a thing. . . My beatings had the positive effect of helping draw international attention to the violent, repressive nature of the Russian and Zimbabwean regimes. I'm glad of that."

In response to supportive comments on Harry's Place calling for him to recieve a peerage, Tatchell said: "I would not accept an OBE or a peerage (not that I am likely to be offered one any time soon). Sorry, I don’t agree with political patronage."

Oxfordshire Green Party chair Sid Phelps told PinkNews.co.uk: "We're sad about this, it's a real shame. He's almost a martyr to the green and human rights causes. It's a real shame but what can you do? People's health must come first. He's got hurt due to political activity really."

Russian gay rights campaigner and organiser of Moscow Pride Nikolai Alekseev also spoke to PinkNews.co.uk, saying: "Peter has been a strong supporter of our cause in Russia since day one. His words of support always materialised in his physical presence in all our events. He only missed one as his doctor did not want him to travel in 2008 when he was already suffering from the 2007 beating."

I hugely admire Peter Tatchell's courage and his determination to express his views and stand up for others. To paraphrase Elton John "You have the grace to hold yourself when all around you crawl."

The world needs a hero like Tatchell. I wish him a rapid and full recovery.

Peter Tatchell interviewed by Elizabeth Day for the Guardian

Nigerian police accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings

Amnesty International has accused the Nigerian police of carrying out extrajudicial killings in a report released this week entitled Killing at Will.

The report includes cases of people being executed in custody and murdered at checkpoints for not paying bribe money.

Erwin van der Borght, director of Amnesty International's Africa program, says: "The Nigerian police are responsible for hundreds of unlawful killings every year...The majority of the cases go un-investigated and the police officers responsible go unpunished. The families of the victims usually get no justice or redress. Most never even find out what happened to their loved ones."

Van Borght explains that one of the key problems is Nigeria Police Force Order 237’ which allows police officers to shoot suspects and detainees who attempt to escape or avoid arrest – whether or not they pose a threat to life.

Force Order 237:

"Force Order 237 is so impermissibly broad. It simply gives police officers permission to shoot people. It is against international standards, and is being abused by police officers to commit, justify and cover up illegal killings

"Ending unlawful killings and enforced disappearances by the police will require serious legal reform and commitment and support from the Nigerian police force. The Nigerian Police Force must introduce a new code of conduct throughout its chain of command – from the very top to the bottom. If not, the cycle of violence will simply continue."

Many suspects in police custody, such as Steven Agbanyim, aged 29, and Chidi Odinauwa, aged 26, last seen detained in Borokiri Police Station earlier this year, have disappered.

Poor salaries and difficult working conditions, along with not enough firearms training and the legacy of Nigeria's military era, are blamed.

One lawyer told Amnesty International about an incident where police officers were called in to arrest kidnappers: "There were five police officers, they did not have bullet-proof vests. The kidnappers finished them all."

The BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos says the scale of police violence is difficult to gauge as there is no proper data on civilians killed by police.

The Nigerian government says that they do not condone extrajudicial killings. The Nigerian police have responded to the statement, claiming "Amnesty International has an unholy penchant to denigrate Police organisations in most parts of the world...By not hearing Police side, Amnesty International has denied Police her human rights."

But Amnesty International claims they are not doing enough to stop them and bring the police perpetrators to justice. Even on the rare occasions when police officers implicated in an unlawful killing are prosecuted, they are often released on bail or escape custody. Some are simply transferred to other states.

The Nigerian government must act immediately to end all unlawful killings, bring perpetrators to justice and ensure that victims' families receive adequate reparation, Amnesty International says.


Examples of alleged victims of Nigerian police:

Christian Ugwuoke was attending a wake and procession for his late aunt when he was killed on 27 January 2009.

According to eyewitnesses, a police officer in a police patrol vehicle from Suleja Area Command shot at the peaceful crowd of approximately 50 people without prior warning, seriously injuring two people and killed Christian Ugwuoke, whowas taken to the Suleja Area Commander’s office.

The police did not explain why the officer had fired into the crowd, and did not let Christian Ugwuoke’s family know who killed him.


Joseph Onu (not his real name), a commercial driver, was killed by police in Imo State on 15 December 2008 after refusing to pay a bribe at a roadblock.

He drove off but was chased by police, and was later stopped and shot.

The police took him to the hospital, where he later died. An autopsy established that he had died of gunshots.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police promised to dismiss the officer involved, but Joseph Onu’s family is unclear whether this has actually happened.


Eke Nwoseh and his friend, both aged 17, were arrested on 15 March 2004 on their way
home.

Almost a year later, the police told the family that the two boys had been transferred to another undisclosed police station.

Despite repeated enquiries from the families and a petition to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, their fate remains unclearified.

A relative told Amnesty International: "We are surprised that a boy at age 17 can go missing from police custody. If he committed a crime, we should know where he is. Five years we take this matter. It is very painful for us."

Online platform Azad Tribune launched to encourage free expression in Iran

Yesterday, on Human Rights Day, Article 19 launched Azad Tribune, an online platform that will host articles from writers based in and outside Iran.

The platform is intended to encourage debate about freedom of expression as well as provide resources related to campaigning against censorship.

Iran is an extremly repressive country, with media censorship, oppression of bloggers and clampdowns on peaceful protest.

Azad Tribune can be read in English and Farsi. The latter is widely spoken in Iran (called پارسی) and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Contributions to Azad Tribune can be submitted to azadtribune(@)article19.org. Remove the brackets from the @ before sending.

Protest outside Ugandan High Commission this Thursday opposing the Anti-Homsexuality Bill

Harry's Place reminds me of a demonstration in London this Thursday opposing the Anti-Homsexuality Bill (PDF).

The even is from 12pm until 2pm and takes place at the Ugandan High Commission,58-59 Trafalger Square, Charing Cross,London, WC2N 5DX.

Nearest tubes are Charing Cross and Picadilly Circus.

If you can’t attend Thursday’s protest, please lobby your MP and MEP.

Ask them to write to the Ugandan High Commissioner, Joan Rwabyomere, urging that the legislation is dropped. You can email your MP and MEP at Write to Them.

You can also email the Ugandan High Commissioner, Joan Rwabyomere, yourself:

info@ugandahighcommission.co.uk

Some people say that "we have no right to tell Uganda what to do." Many of these same people claim to "oppose all borders and the idea of nation states."

I would ask the following in return:

*Have you asked any gay Ugandans if they agree with you?
*Have you noted the opposition to this law in Uganda?
*Do you believe that because people are being oppressed in another country we should ignore this?
*Would you say the same if this occured in America?
*If you were being oppressed, would you want people in other countries to ignore you?

Come along this Thursday and support the rights of gay Ugandans.

Harry's Place says:

"The Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill violates the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Uganda is a signatory. These breaches of international humanitarian commitments undermine the right to privacy and individual liberty and thereby set a dangerous legal precedent which threatens the human rights of all Ugandans. They are part of a wider drift towards an authoritarian state. President Museveni is fast turning into another Robert Mugabe.

"The Anti-Homosexuality Bill has been condemned by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Commission of Jurists and the World AIDS Campaign.

"It violates the Commonwealth principles of human rights and human dignity. You can email the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, here:

secretary-general@commonwealth.int"

In related news, Sweden may reduce aid to Uganda due to the Anti-Homsexuality Bill.

Pepsi, it seems, is happy to sponser a concert in Uganda that stars the homophobic Beenie Man.

Celebrate Human Rights Day this Thursday

What is happening in your city for Human Rights Day this Thursday?

Human Rights Day In Sheffield:

In Sheffield,there will be lunch-time rallies at Barkers Pool (12.30) and Hallam Square with readings from speeches and poems related to human rights, according to Graham Jones of Sheffield Amnesty International.

From 4.30 to 6.00pm there will be a candle lit vigil outside Sheffield Midland railway station.

Sheffield Amnesty International meet at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, St James' Street. The days of their meetings can be seen via the link.

December 10th is the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948 at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Jones says: "We need to remind our political leaders of the commitments to human rights made sixty years ago by their predecessors. These commitments have not been upheld. Virtually every country in the world abuses people's rights. And the UK is no exception"

Human Rights Day in Bristol:

In Bristol, there will be a (pre-booked) conference at the Pierian Centre,27 Portland Square, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 8SA, from 10.00 to 15.30, with the presentation of papers on "Refugees in Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects"

A public meeting on "Protection & Dignity – not Destitution" takes place from 16.00–17.00 at the Refugee Welcome Centre at Newton Hall, Stapleton Road,Bristol,BS5 0QZ.

People who are seeking asylum in Bristol will discuss their experiences of the asylum system, and their lives following the refusal of their claim.

The meeting is organised by Bristol Refugee Rights, Refugee Action, City of Sanctuary and St Nicholas of Tolentino.

A (pre-booked) debate will take place from 18.00 - 20.00 at The Watershed,1 Canon's Road,Harbourside,Bristol BS1 5TX on "The Accesibility of Rights for Migrants and Refugees".

Speakers are Prof Geoff Channon of the University of the West of England Bristol, Anne Lonsdal of the Council for Assisisting Refugee Academics (CARA), Paul Stephenson OBE of the Bristol Legacy Commission and Dr Abel Ugba of the Exiled Journalists' Network.

University of the West of England's Human Rights Unit launches new support hub:

The debate, along with the conference, is organised by UWE's Human Rights Unit, which leads scholarly debates as well as practical initiatives on human rights in Bristol.

The two events will mark the launch of its exciting initiative, the Refugee and Migrant Support (RMS) Hub, led by Dr. Ibrahim Shaw.

The RMS Hub will be a single point of access to improve academic and educational opportunities for refugees, asylum seekers, Scholars At Risk (SARS) and people from underrepresented communities.

Spain apologies to homosexual man for jailing him in the 1970s

Antoni Ruiz, a gay Spaniard, has recieved a letter of apology from Spain's justice minister and an offer of financial compensation amounting to 4,000 euros (£3,600), relating to his imprisonment for being gay during the 1970's, the Telegraph reports.

Mr Ruiz was one of 5,000 men imprisoned for the "crime", but unusally was sentenced following the death of General Francisco Franco, under whose dictatorial regime the law was passed.

At the age of 17, Antoni Ruiz was given a three month prison sentence and banished from his home town, Valencia, for a year after he was released.

According to Fiona Govan in the Telegraph, the law banning homosexuality was struck off in 1979, when Spain became a democracy.

The gay blog Queerty is critical of the compensation Antoni Ruiz was offered, saying: "So what's Spain's recompense? An apology letter and a check for $5,900. Don't spend it all in one Prada!".

However, I don't see what more Francisco Caamano Dominguez, the current justice minister, could have done.

Azerbaijan's broadcasting council may ban TV channels that criticise the country

The National Broadcasting Council of Azerbaijan may ban the broadcasting via cable of foreign television channels that show programs criticising the country, according to Trend News.

Chairman of the National Council Nushirevan Maharramli told the news agency: "We will ban cable broadcasting of Euronews and other foreign television channels in Azerbaijan should they continue preparing programs against our country."

Maharramli claims that Azerbaijan legislation on televisions broadcasting specifies the cases when broadcasting of foreign television channels may be interrupted.

The BBC, Azadlig (Liberty) and Voice of America have already been suspended, and Euronews may be next.

Last month, the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and the ruling New Azerbaijan Party sent letters to Euronews complaining about a report by Michael Raikhman entitled: "Nagorno-Karabakh - wind of change".

Click on the Azerbaijan tag below this post to find out more about this repressive state.

I believe that this ruling will further prevent voices critical of the Azerbaijan state from being heard.

Trend News need to learn when to use the word allegedly, given that they report the claims of the Foreign Ministry as fact.

Public meeting hosted by London Guantánamo Campaign: Torture In Our Times

December 10th will be Human Rights Day, the 25th anniversary of the UN General Assembly adopting the text of the Convention Against Torture.

This convention bans the use of torture (already illegal on paper) and practices related to it, including assisting in torture and returning people to countries where they face torture.

The Convention became law in 1987, yet torture is still practiced by governments around the world.

On Thursday, a public meeting, Torture In Our Times, will be taking place in West London discussing the issue of torture, organised by the London Guantánamo Campaign.

The panel will consist of Louise Christian, a human rights lawyer from Christian Khan Solicitors who represents former Guantánamo Bay prisoners, Omar Deghayes, a former Guantánamo Bay prisoner who was held there for five years, and Helen Bamber, the director of the Helen Bamber Foundation, which works with victims of torture.

The event starts at 7pm and is at Westbourne Grove Church Hall, Westbourne Grove, W11 2RW.

Getting to Westbourne Grove Church Hall:

Nearest tube station is Notting Hill Gate on the Central, District and Circle lines.

Many buses, including the 23,70 and 390, stop nearby. Check Transport for London's Journey Planner to find out more information.

If you know of any other events that are taking place on Human Rights Day, write a comment.

Oppression of journalists in Tunisia continues: Zouhair Makhlouf jailed for three months

Zouhair Makhlouf, the editor of opposition daily El-Mawkif, has been sentenced to three months in prison for allegedly publishing photos without content, AfricaNews reports.

On October 21st, Makhlouf was arrested regarding a video report he made on the state of the environment in Nabeul,northeast Tunisia.

A a local potter called Mourad Ladhib, who was interviewed for the report, had filed a complaint that his consent had not been given. The Tunisian authorities also claimed that he did not have a permit.

As well as the prison sentence, Makhlouf has also been ordered to pay 6,000 Tunisian dinars (US$4,700) in damages, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The week before, journalist Taoufik ben Brik,a prominent critic of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was jailed for six months on charges of "damaging other people’s property," "violation of public morality standards" "defamation" and "extreme aggression".

The CPJ claim that his lawyers were prevented from seeing him during his trial, while his wife, Azza Zarrad told CPJ that she believed this was "part of a vengeful campaign to humiliate and punish Ben Ali’s critics."

Reporters Without Borders has told Ethopian Review: "We condemn this conviction, which ignored irrefutable evidence of Makhlouf's innocence...It is clear from the video that the people in it consented to being filmed and no permit is needed for filming an industrial area.

"As with Taoufik Ben Brik, who was sentenced to six months in jail last week, this was clearly a judicial farce. We call for the immediate release of these two journalists."

The CPJ are very critical of media freedom in Tunisia, saying: "Harassment [of critical journalists] has been escalating since President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali threatened to prosecute anyone who casts doubt on his reelection for a fifth five-year term in office on October 25...

"Plainclothes police prevented journalists with the opposition weeklies Al-Mawkif, Attariq al-Jadid, and Mouatinoun from entering their offices on November 19.

"Police have prevented others, including Sihem Ben Sedrine of Web site Kalima and Lotfi Hajji, an Al-Jazeera correspondent in Tunis, from leaving their homes or hometowns, journalists told CPJ"

Saddam Hussein tribute channel launched

The BBC reports that a television channel has been launched celebrating former dictator Saddam Hussein.

It is not known who runs the channel, which can be seen on Arab satellite networks including Bahrain-based Noorsat and Egypt-owned NileSat, and the Internet.

Strangely, its offical name changes between "Al-Lafeta" (the banner) and "Al-Arabi" (the Arab).

According to Gawker, the channel has been alleged to have been run by Damascus-based Mohammed Jarboua, while others believe that Saddam Hussein's former right-hand man Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri is responsible.

Azaria Jagger, writing for Gawker, describes Al-Lafeta/Al-Arabi as: "basically a Baathist screensaver set to audio of [the] late dictator's most famous speeches.

This is the same Saddam Hussein who helped drag his people into two terrible wars, has been alleged as ordering an attack on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to prevent broadcasting to Iraq*, and who brutally treated the Marsh Arabs who supported an uprising against his regime.

You can view a CBS News report on the latter via Harry's Place:

As we are currently seeing with the Chilcott inquirey, there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the Iraq War.

Despite the terrible situation currently, the fact that it removed a tyrant who ordered the brutal torture of many of his people is beyond dispute.

*I am aware that the Daily Mirror claims the Americans considered bombing Al-Jazeera, and if that is true I condemn that as well.

Disgracefully, it seems the Offical Secrets Act was used by Lord Goldsmith to try and prevent the media reporting more.

Images of boys wanted for homophobic assualt released by Merseyside Police: Can you identify them?

CCTV images of four boys wanted for the homophobic assualt of a gay student on Lord Street, Liverpool, have been released by police.

The attack took place on November 18th after 7pm, when the victim passed a group of youths outside Tesco.

Merseyside Police say that up to six boys followed the victim up the street, shouting and punching him when he reached the Pret A Manger sandwich bar, according to Pink News.co.uk.

Once the offenders left, the victim manage to get onto a train home.

Detective Sergeant Cheryl Rhodes from the Liverpool North Sigma hate crime unit said: "This was a nasty, unprovoked attack on an innocent man by a gang of young lads who decided to pick on someone because they were dressed differently.

"Homophobic abuse was hurled at him by some while others threw punches at his head, knocking him over.

"This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated by Merseyside Police and we are determined to catch those responsible.

"Lord Street was still very busy that Wednesday night, with lots of people going in and out of Tescos, where this group were congregating. There would also have been many people walking to catch buses or trains after work.

"Someone will have seen the incident and someone will recognises the group caught on CCTV that we want to talk to in relation to it and I would appeal for them to come forward with the information we need to investigate."

The victim told the Liverpool Echo: "Sadly, it’s something that happens all the time in Liverpool, I expect it now.

"I was bombarded with punches. I did not know where they were coming from. They were shouting, ‘what the **** are you wearing.

"I cannot even get on the train without suffering abuse. It is everywhere I go. I wear colourful stuff and lipstick, but if I didn’t, it would be restricting how I want to be."

According to Pinknews.co.uk, the A-Level studentsaid he had been attacked before and his ex-boyfriend needed extensive surgery after being assaulted in Stanley Street, part of Liverpool's gay village, 18 months ago.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or can identify the people in the CCTV should contact Merseyside Police's Sigma team on 0151 777 4837 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Can you help?

For some reason the Liverpool Echo has failed to link to the pictures (click on the link to view), instead a public sprited commentator has linked to them in the comments.

Last month, gay trainee Merseyside police officer James Parks was attacked in Stanley Street by up to twenty youths. He is hoping to return to work in several weeks.