As the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the 17th United Nations Human Rights Council commenced yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, it became clear that the issues of death penalty and rights of gay persons, among others, may put Nigeria on collision course with the United Nations.
Although, the 17th UPR session formally commenced with the review of Saudi Arabia and Senegal yesterday, Nigeria’s review is expected to come up today. Reports said judging by the questions sent in by American and European governments ahead of today’s session, which the Federal Government delegation, under the leadership of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), would attempt to effectively answer, the session may be explosive.
National Mirror gathered that three of the issues that the United Nations Working Group intends to take up during the session are, particularly, death penalty, rights of people who practice lesbianism, gay, bisexualism and other related relationships and election violence.
Regarding the issue of death penalty, the Government of Netherlands would like to know whether the Government of Nigeria intends to reestablish the de-facto moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing death penalty.
The Netherlands government would also like to know whether Nigeria has any plan to align its national legislation with all obligations under the Rome Statute to cooperate promptly and fully with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to investigate and prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Nigerian courts. On the one hand, the Government of the United States of America would like to know what Nigeria is doing to prevent anticipated election violence in 2015 and how it wants to make the election free, transparent and credible.
While the United States would also like to know why the Federal Government has not prosecuted civilian and security agents found of perpetrating violence, the country would want the Federal Government to open its detention facilities, keeping custody of terrorist suspects and convicts to “unfettered access for assessment by humanitarian and human rights organisations.”
As for the Government of the United Kingdom, it would like to know “how many terrorist suspects are currently detained without charge and what the Federal Government plans to do to bring them to justice under the country’s justice system.”
Although, the percentage and number of gay people and lesbians in Nigeria are very few and infinitesimal, compared to the population that indulge in the conventional human relationships, it was learnt, however, that there were petitions against the government on violation of gay rights in the country. For example, addressing participating journalists at a training roundtable held at the Gmedia Centre Head Office in Geneva yesterday, Programme Officer, Ms. Francesca Piccin said; “Of recent, we have noticed that there is an increasing violation of the human rights of gay, lesbians, bisexuals and others. “This is why the organisers have arranged for journalists to also meet with the international LGBT rights organisation.”
It will be recalled that the issue of same sex marriage has almost been laid to rest in Nigeria with the passage of a law prescribing a jail term for anyone caught indulging in same sex relationship. The bill that was sponsored by Senator Domingo Obende of Edo North federal constituency and other lawmakers in the National Assembly, received an overwhelming support for passage into law with the prescription of 14 years jail term for anyone convicted of gay relationship or same sex marriage in Nigeria. The law has not gone down well with the gay community in Nigeria since it was passed, resulting in various forms of protest.
But, ahead of the human rights review exercise, however, the Federal Government has reiterated that Nigeria does not accept foreign governments’ recommendation that the law breaches the rights of gay people because same-sex marriage is against its culture and national values. In a report that the government has submitted ahead to the UNHRC, which would be discussed today, it stated that recent polling data suggests that 92 per cent of Nigerians support the Anti-Same- Sex Marriage Bill that the Senate passed into law.
It is believed that the continued insistence by the Federal Government delegation here in Geneva on the newly passed law that criminalises same sex marriage in the country may incur the wrath of the human rights organ of the United Nations. The UPR is a unique process, which involves a thorough review of the human rights records of all the 192 United Nations member states once in every four years.
The aim is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and, importantly, address violations wherever they occur
Source: National Mirror
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