Thursday In Manhattan: Memorial Vigil For Slain Ugandan LGBT Activist David Kato

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission is organizing a memorial vigil for murdered Ugandan activist David Kato. The starting point of the procession is not yet determined, but attendees will finish at the Ugandan embassy. I'll post more details as they are known.

IGLHRC Issues Statement On Iran

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission has issued a statement on yesterday's story about the possible execution by stoning of two young men in Iran for having gay sex. At IGLHRC's request, I pulled my first post on the story while they investigated. Via email:

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has received reports of the imminent execution of two men in Piranshahr, Iran. By some media accounts, Ayub and Mosleh have been sentenced to death for raping a young man, filming their actions, and inserting images of President Ahmadinejad into the film. There have been reports that the men are scheduled to be killed by stoning on January 21. IGLHRC has been unable to confirm the allegations in this case.

This case is evidence, however, of much bigger problems in Iran: widespread abuse in the justice system and censorship of information. People, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender may be arbitrarily arrested, tortured, and convicted on baseless charges. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to know the facts that lie behind convictions.

IGLHRC condemns the use of capital punishment in all instances, including this one, regardless of the alleged acts with which the individuals have been accused or convicted. Likewise, IGLHRC condemns all forms of sexual violence and rape. We call on the Government of Iran to immediately annul any execution order related to this case, to end the practice of death by stoning, and to repeal the criminalization of same-sex activity.

"Iran has an impenetrable and opaque criminal justice system that makes knowing what is really happening inside the country impossible," said Hossein Alizadeh, Regional Coordinator for IGLHRC's Middle East and North Africa Program. "What we do know is that killing is wrong in all its forms, even when committed by the State."

I will update you at once when further information is available.

Regarding Yesterday's Post About Iran...

Many of you have noted that I have removed yesterday's post regarding the pending executions of two young gay men in Iran. Shortly after that post went up, both Andy Towle and I were contacted by Jessica Stern at the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, who was very concerned that fragile communications being made on the men's behalf could be damaged by excessive publicity in the blogosphere.

This morning Stern sends us this update: "IGLHRC is deeply concerned about the alleged charges facing two men from Piranshahr, Iran, and we are urgently investigating them. We are also concerned that some stories circulating about these men may contain factual inaccuracies and be based on hearsay. Until more is understood, we urge journalists and advocates to act with extreme caution. The death penalty is always wrong, however the specifics of each case matter immensely. Nothing less than the lives of two young men is at stake."

I will update you on any further developments today.

PhoboQuotable - Matt Barber

"This once again just highlights the fact that President Obama is fully in the tank of the radical homosexual activist lobby. In keeping with his commitment to ram through his radical agenda, the president has once again circumvented the proper protocol and procedure in order to push a very unpopular policy. Obama has thumbed his nose at all of the nations around the world that embrace sexual morality -- and the president, in the name of the United States of America, has once again publicly embraced sexual immorality." - Liberty Counsel douchebag Matt Barber, whining about the United Nations' official recognition of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

IGLHRC Wins UN Recognition

Over the foaming-mouthed objections of American evangelicals and some members of the GOP, today the United Nations granted official consulting status to the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

"Today's decision is an affirmation that the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have a place at the United Nations as part of a vital civil society community," said Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC Executive Director. "The clear message here is that these voices should not be silenced and that human rights cannot be denied on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity." The resolution passed with 23 in favor, 13 against, and 13 abstentions and 5 absences. This victory is particularly significant, coming as it does after a prolonged 3-year application process in the sub-committee that makes initial recommendations on status. Despite full compliance with all procedures IGLHRC faced deferrals, homophobic questioning, and procedural roadblocks in the ECOSOC NGO Committee.

Voting yes was much of the EU and South America, as well as Japan and South Korea. Voting no: Bangladesh, China, Comoros, Egypt, Malaysia, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Zambia.

NJ GOP Rep. Chris Smith Works To Block LGBT Rights Group At United Nations

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has long been attempting to gain recognition as a consulting group with the United Nations, a status which would grant them access and the ability to comment officially on critical LGBT issues such as the murder and imprisonment of LGBT people around the world. In June, IGLHRC's recognition was blocked by Egypt "on behalf of all African nations."

After the U.S. delegation promised to pressure the UN on IGLHRC's behalf, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) vowed to stop them. Smith, who voted against the Matthew Shepard Act and other LGBT rights laws, says IGLHRC plans to muzzle anybody who preaches that homosexuality is immoral. He wrote the UN a lengthy letter demanding that they again decline IGLHRC's application.

Backing up Rep. Smith is the Christianist outfit Family Watch International, who has launched a petition campaign to the United Nations.

The IGLHRC is already pressuring a number of UN member states to change their laws to advance sexual rights. When the application was put on hold, the U.S. reacted very aggressively and announced that it was planning to take an unprecedented move to bypass the UN Committee on NGOs and go directly to the full ECOSOC body to try to ram the approval through. This has never been done before, and it has caused quite a stir among the UN delegations of many of the developing nations around the world. So we have a situation where the Obama administration is again putting support for the radical homosexual agenda above virtually all other considerations. In light of what this administration is doing domestically, we should not be surprised, but in this case, the United States government’s almost obsessive quest to advance sexual rights has been exposed to the whole world, and this should concern every American.

Once again, the American Christianist right is actively working to enable the murder, abuse, and imprisonment of LGBT people outside the United States.

VIDEO: Below is a history of the work IGLHRC has done for the last 20 years.

UNITED NATIONS: Egypt Blocks LGBT Rights Group From Accreditation

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission's request for accreditation as a consulting group to the United Nations has been blocked by Egypt.

The group, which had applied for "consultative status" at the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) three years ago, is an international NGO and advocacy group focusing on protecting the rights of homosexuals and lesbians worldwide. Diplomats from Western nations that support gay rights complained that Egypt and other developing states that have been criticized by rights groups for discriminating against gays and lesbians prevented the committee from voting on whether to accredit the group, thereby leaving it in limbo. "IGLHRC is disappointed by the vote of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations to block action on our application," Cary Alan Johnson, head of the New York-based group, said in a statement to Reuters.

The U.N. NGO committee has 19 members, among them the United States and Britain, as well as Egypt, Sudan, Qatar, Pakistan and China. Johnson said it was a "clear case of discrimination against an organization because it defends the human rights of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi- and transsexual) people around the world." The U.S. delegation defended the work of IGLHRC. "This NGO is committed to combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity," the U.S. statement said. "It has contributed to valuable research on HIV/AIDs and its work is well known to this committee."

According to the British delegation, Egypt blocked IGLHRC "on behalf of African countries."