CHECHNYA. Activists with the Russian LGBT Network report that they have begun initiating evacuations of gay men fleeing a new wave of persecution in Chechnya. ‘The Russian LGBT Network activated evacuation of the survivors of a new wave of LGBT persecution in Chechnya. The victims of the new wave confirm the wide-scale character of persecution. They also witness that persecution started already in the beginning of December 2018, and that people are detained in the police offices of not only Argun, but also Grozny.’
EGYPT. TV host sentenced to one year of hard labor for interviewing gay man: ‘An Egyptian TV presenter has been sentenced to one year of hard labour for interviewing a gay man last year. A court in Giza also fined Mohamed al-Ghiety 3,000 Egyptian pounds ($167; £130) for “promoting homosexuality” on his privately owned LTC TV channel. The gay man, whose identity was hidden, had talked about life as a sex worker. Homosexuality is not explicitly criminalised in Egypt, however, the authorities have been increasingly cracking down on the LGBT community.’
LEBANON. Has the government banned the use of Grindr? BEIRUT Pride reports: ‘It was reported and experienced today, Friday, January 18, 2019, that Grindr was blocked on the public network in Lebanon (Touch Lebanonand Alfa Telecommunications providers). For some people, the application doesn’t log in; for others, profiles and conversations do not load, unless accessed from a private wifi network. This #ban is a new attack on the freedoms in Lebanon, and intends to shrink national cyber access on the grounds of our personal and intimate relationships. Banning an application on the public, shared network insinuates that the common space refuses to be a space for all. It confines people to the private network (home, cafés and work), thus pushing back Grindr, its users, and the representations of sexual orientation and gender identity back in the closet, behind closed doors. An approach of “exist but not too much”, “live your life away from us”, “be private about who you are and don’t impose yourself in the public sphere”. This highlights how such decisions are made against a backdrop of disinformation and miscommunication. This is why educating ourselves and fostering a proper communication with decision makers are paramount to address and deconstruct myths, lies and prejudice about #LGBTIQ+ individuals. This is why our #visibility is crucial and our collaboration capital. In June 1969, the non-heterosexual rights enjoyed a massive visibility in the western world that would become the catalyst of the LGBTIQ+ file. 50 years later, in 2019, our part of the world cannot dismiss its national and regional #coming_out.’
AUSTRIA. Police officer who was fired for sex with minors must be paid compensation, the European Court of Justice ruled: ‘He committed the offence with two boys aged 14 and 15. The age of consent was 18 for male homosexuals at the time.The man, identified only as EB, also got a three-month suspended jail term. The ECJ did not challenge that penalty, but said he was owed his lost pension, going back to December 2003. That was when Austria implemented an EU anti-discrimination directive. The judges in Luxembourg say it was wrong to continue the 25% pension deduction beyond that date.’
INDIA. Panjab University plans to offer full scholarships to transgender students.
FRANCE. Gay theater on the Paris stage: ‘Two related scenes are currently playing out in theaters here. In “Les Idoles” (“The Idols”), at the Odéon — Théâtre de l’Europe, the actress Marina Foïs recounts in detail the death of the philosopher Michel Foucault, in 1984, of an AIDS-related illness. At the Espace Cardin, Foucault’s homosexuality is seen through the eyes of his first biographer, the sociologist Didier Eribon, in “Retour à Reims” (“Returning to Reims”).’
ISRAEL. Jerusalem court convicts ‘gay conversion therapist’ accused of molesting his clients for years. ‘Reuven Welcher, 45, tricked two boys into believing indecent acts he performed on them were a necessary part of the therapy, according the charge sheet filed at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court in September 2017. Unaware that they weren’t, the boys consented to the acts.’
JAPAN. Gay couple to sue to have marriage recognized: ‘Ai Nakajima and Kristina Baumann, who live in Yokohama, near Tokyo, attempted to register their marriage with local authorities on Wednesday after marrying in Germany last year. “We don’t want anything special – just the same rights as any other married couple,” Baumann, who is German and studying in Japan, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.’
CZECH REPUBLIC. Bill legalizing gay marriage to be debated this week. ‘The Czech Republic could become the first post-communist country to legalise same sex marriage. An amendment to the country’s Civil Code is set to have its first reading in Parliament this week. While polls show that the majority of the country supports the move, there is also an opposing bill on the table.’
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS. International Triathlon Union reverses ban on athletes displaying the rainbow flag: ‘New rules had stipulated that athletes must “avoid any kind of demonstration of political, religious, sexual orientation or racial propaganda”. But the ITU said the new rule, agreed in November, was a “misunderstanding” and has now changed its policy. The rule was to “protect athletes from demonstrations against them,” it said.’
