Gay Nigerians face Sharia death

[frigidmagi]

BBC

Eighteen men have been remanded in prison following their arrest for alleged sodomy in northern Nigeria, the state-owned news agency, Nan, reports.

The men were arrested in a hotel in north-eastern Bauchi State, which is governed by the Islamic Sharia law.

The Sharia punishment for sodomy is death by stoning.

The men, reportedly wearing women's clothes, are said to have gone to Bauchi town from neighbouring states to celebrate a "gay wedding".

Sharia judge Malam Tanimu ordered that the 18 be remanded in prison after they were arraigned before him on Wednesday.

Prosecuting police officer Tadius Boboi said the men's actions had contravened Sharia law, adopted in Bauchi and a dozen other states in Muslim northern Nigeria in 2000.

Amputations

More than a dozen Nigerian Muslims have been sentenced to death by stoning and for sexual offences ranging from adultery and homosexuality.

But none of these death sentences have actually been carried out as they were either thrown out on appeal or commuted to prison terms as a result of pressure from human rights groups.

Many others have been sentenced to flogging by horsewhip for drinking.

But there have been two amputations in north-western Zamfara State which pioneered the introduction of the Islamic legal system in the country.

Taboo

Nigeria, like many African countries, is a conservative society where homosexuality is considered a taboo.

The Nigerian parliament has been trying to pass a controversial law introduced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo banning gay rights organisations.

Gay activists and some human rights groups have condemned the proposed legislation and called for its rejection.

But homosexuality and same sex marriage are illegal in Nigeria and are considered very serious offences.

In April, a woman reportedly fled Nigeria after being accused of organising a polygamous lesbian wedding.

She later denied the reports.

Two years ago, a Sharia court sentenced a man to six months in prison and fined him $38 for living as a woman for seven years in Kano.

Here is a selection of comments we received about the story:

Davies Udokwu in Lagos, Nigeria wrote:Sharia is the Law in Northern Nigeria so the penalty for homosexuality, which is death, should be meted out on them without fear or favour. Sodomy is an act of insanity which even animals cannot do. The West should stop making an issue out of this and try to change their system to support good morals.

James in California wrote:This is simply another example of a repressive belief system that uses fear, domination, and hatred to control its believers and to impose horrific repression on others. Why does the UN tolerate such violence against gay people or those who are thought to be gay?

Matsiko David wrote: Campaigners of same sex marriage are not different from those cited in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Joseph Lengmang in Plateau, Nigeria, wrote:What I really don't understand is whether such a punitive yet barbaric measure is permissible by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. And if this is not the case, then i think it would amount to a gross abuse of naked force by the champions of shariah law in Northern Nigeria.

John in Rotterdam, Holland, said:It is very sad, to see things like this happen in Nigeria. People getting killed for being a GAY, shame to our so called leaders and also shame to the British. It is all their fault in the first place for making us ONE NIGERIA.

Kenny, a Nigerian in Malaysia said: It is a taboo and it should remain a taboo. They should be killed by hanging. A country can have its own law. I am a christian and i support the sharia law in doing it.

[Mayabird]

Are there any countries where these people could get asylum? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be able to get it here.

Magi, did you copy the comments intentionally or not? The comments by people claiming to be from Africa are usually pretty horrible. Men claiming that women wearing pants cause HIV or that female genital mutilation is a GOOD thing and so on. "Ignorant" barely begins to cover it.

[frigidmagi]

I did copy the comments intentionally Maya. I felt they were part of the problem. The last commentator I try not to think about. It would be hard on the carpeting if I caught on fire in the apartment you see.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Are there any countries where these people could get asylum? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be able to get it here.

Magi, did you copy the comments intentionally or not? The comments by people claiming to be from Africa are usually pretty horrible. Men claiming that women wearing pants cause HIV or that female genital mutilation is a GOOD thing and so on. "Ignorant" barely begins to cover it.

Being gay in a country where homosexuals are repressed is in fact grounds for seeking asylum in the USA.

[Comrade Tortoise]

The question is, will the current government grant it? I mean, in the DoJ alone there are 150 graduates of the Regent University Law School...