Sentencing Delayed For 18 Accused Of Homosexuality In Nigeria
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: August 21, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET
(Lagos) An Islamic court judge in Northern Nigeria has put off sentencing until next month for 18 men convicted of homosexuality in the Muslim state of Bauchi.
A prosecutor told the court on Tuesday that the government will not seek the death penalty.
Bauchi is one of a number of northern states which recognizes Sharia law. Elsewhere in the country gay sex carries sentences up to 14 years behind bars.
The 18 were convicted earlier this month.
They were arrested wearing women's clothing at a hotel where police say they had gathered for the wedding "of two men". An attorney for the men said they were at the hotel for a "graduation party".
Whether the men are gay or transsexual has not been fully explained by authorities. They were charged and convicted of sodomy but that was later reduced to a conviction of violating Islamic law by dressing in female garb when it could not be proved any sex had occurred.
On Tuesday police brought suitcases into court containing handbags, high-heel shoes and women's clothing.
The government frequently alleges that men arrested for being gay were dressed as women and were attending or preparing to attend gay weddings.
More than a dozen men have been sentenced to death in recent years for alleged homosexuality. In most cases their fate is unknown. Officially the government denies there have been any executions.
Meanwhile, the government is moving ahead with legislation that would strip gays and lesbians of all civil rights.
The bill started out as a ban on same-sex marriage and has been revised to make it a crime for more than two gay people to be in the same venue at the same time.
It prohibits LGBT social or civil rights groups from forming. It would be illegal to sell or rent property to same-sex couples, watch a gay film or video, visit an LGBT web site, or express same-sex love in a letter to one's partner.
The legislation goes so far as to make it a criminal offense to impart information of HIV/AIDS to gays or for non-gays to meet with any group of gays for any purpose.
The penalty would be five years in prison with hard labor.
The most recent arrests have sparked outrage in Britain and is likely to scuttle Nigeria's bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
The southern half of Nigeria is predominantly Anglican. The primate of the Nigerian Church is Archbishop Peter Akinola who has been at the forefront of opposing gay clergy in the denomination. Conservative Anglican churches in the US have aligned themselves with Akinola.
©365Gay.com 2007
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