"I am writing to express our concern about a draft legislation that the Senate of Burundi is likely going to approve and which would eliminate basic human rights," said the Director of HRW's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Division, Scott Long, in a statement to Burundi's Head of State, Pierre Nkurunziza.
Under the Article 552 of Burundi's penal code, homosexual practice is punishable by a term of between three months to two years imprisonment and/or a fine.
According to a 1994 decision of the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the Toone C. Australia case, the laws criminalising practices agreed-upon between adults violate the right to privacy protected by Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(ICCPR), the correspondence noted.
The correspondence also indicated that the UN working group on arbitrary detention said that arrests for agreed-upon homosexual practices were, by definition, human rights violations.
Noting that the constitution of Burundi itself guarantees the right to privacy (Artcicle 28) and the right not to be discriminated (Article 17), the NGO underscored that the new provision would seriously undermine efforts made to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Burundi.
"Yet, Burundi can not assume the effects on public health of a draft legislation that would force a portion of its population to silence and hiding", warned HRW, which nevertheless recognised the efforts made by both the National Assembly and the Justice Commission of the Senate that drafted amendments to the penal code to put other sections in accordance with human rights principles.
Will Burundian President and its government go ahead?
The answer will be "NO"
2 comments:
Yes Vugaduhabwe,
Ko UN yababujije then then need to stop it immediately.
I think Burundi can't argue with United Nations
Yes,
Let the gays and lesbians be free...
Hey Is burundian culture mattter
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