XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: gay.paedophiles@splc.org   
      
   State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki was unable on Friday to   
   articulate any options to address Nigeria’s anti-gay law and the   
   arrests that have followed other than restating U.S. concerns   
   about the situation.   
      
   Under questioning from the Washington Blade, Psaki provided   
   little additional information on U.S. efforts to confront the   
   anti-gay law as reports continue to emerge of hostilities toward   
   gay men in the country.   
      
   “I don’t have any new options to outline for you at this point,”   
   Psaki said. “I think we’ve been very clear in expressing our   
   concerns and how deeply concerned we are about the impact on all   
   Nigerians of this law.”   
      
   On Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign issued a statement   
   calling on the State Department to employ all available tools to   
   stop the anti-gay situation in Nigeria described in media   
   reports that has troubled many observers.   
      
   “The State Department must use every available tool to   
   demonstrate that any nation which targets its own LGBT citizens   
   and violates their civil rights gravely risks its standing in   
   the international community,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.   
      
   The Obama administration has previously said the anti-gay law   
   itself violates Nigeria’s international legal obligations and is   
   inconsistent with human rights protections in its constitution.   
      
   But one option that Psaki took off the table on Friday was a   
   potential loss of U.S. financial aid to Nigeria, saying the   
   United States funds programs in Nigeria that are critically   
   important.   
      
   “It’s also important to note that a great deal of our funding   
   goes to programs including HIV prevention, human rights   
   programs, programs that are promoting fundamental freedoms,   
   program funding that often goes through PEPFAR,” Psaki said.   
   “Those are programs that, obviously, we continue to support.”   
      
   Homosexual acts were already illegal in Nigeria, but the new   
   anti-gay law signed on Jan. 7 by Nigeria President Goodluck   
   Jonathan goes further than the existing statutes.   
      
   It bans not only same-sex marriage and same-sex relationships,   
   but also membership in LGBT organizations. Entering into a same-   
   sex marriage or civil union is punishable by up to 14 years in   
   prison, and membership in an LGBT organization is punishable   
   with jail time of up to 10 years.   
      
   The State Department had previously said it was trying to verify   
   reports that as many as 38 gay men have been arrested and 168   
   others are being pursued following passage of the anti-gay law.   
   The Associated Press reported on Friday that arrests are   
   spreading across Nigeria and dozens more individuals perceived   
   to be gay have been rounded up and questioned.   
      
   But Psaki on Friday said wasn’t able to provide any confirmation   
   about arrests in terms of numbers as she reiterated U.S. concern   
   about the media reports.   
      
   “I don’t believe I have an update on the specific numbers that   
   have been out there,” Psaki said. “Obviously, we have expressed   
   our concerns about these reports, expressed our concerns about   
   the legislation as well…It’s often difficult to confirm specific   
   numbers along those lines.”   
      
   Will Stevens, a State Department spokesperson, later told the   
   Blade the U.S. embassy in Nigeria is working to ascertain the   
   number of individuals perceived to be gay arrested under the   
   law. Stevens said the State Department would provide a response   
   by Tuesday, but it’ll probably be a “squishy number” because of   
   the changing situation.   
      
   Asked to respond to media reports that Uganda President Yoweri   
   Museveni has returned the “anti-homosexuality” bill to   
   parliament, which passed the measure last month, Psaki said she   
   was unaware of the development.   
      
   “I haven’t seen that,” Psaki said. “I’m happy to check with our   
   team and see if we have more details on that.”   
      
   A State Department official later told the Blade the United   
   States continues to raise concerns about the legislation in   
   Uganda and “welcome[s] reports” that some Ugandan leaders have   
   expressed their  opposition to the bill.   
      
   “Since the 2009 introduction of this legislation, we have   
   consistently registered our opposition at the highest levels of   
   government, both in Washington and in Kampala, reiterating our   
   long-standing opposition to legislation that discriminates   
   against LGBT individuals,” the official said.   
      
   https://www.washingtonblade.com/2014/01/18/state-dept-wont-   
   articulate-options-to-address-nigeria-gay-arrests/   
      
       
      
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