horrifying

[coyotegoth]

In a narrow vote, the United Nations has removed a plea for lesbians, gays and bisexuals not to be executed.

For the last 10 years sexual orientation has been included in a list of discriminatory grounds for executions – gay rights activists say the vote to remove that listing is “dangerous and disturbing.”

The UN resolution urges countries to protect the right to life of all people, calling on them to investigate killings based on discriminatory grounds. Sexual orientation was previously listed as one of these forms of discrimination, alongside ethnicity, religious belief and linguistic minorities.

Others protected by the resolution were human rights defenders (like journalists, lawyers and demonstrators), street children and members of indigenous communities.

But now sexual orientation has been taken out of the list. The amendment was supported by Benin in Africa on behalf of the African Group in the UN General Assembly. It passed on a narrow vote of 79 for, 70 against , 17 abstentions and 26 absent.

Comments

[petemosq.livejournal.com]

Never met a dictator they didn't like. I really wish this horrific institution would reach its demise.

[eastertheatre.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear.

[gtrout.livejournal.com]

You can my imagine my delight at learning this as a gay UN contractor.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Half the world's nations just couldn't accept that we have a right not to be killed. Half the world's nations felt the need to make a powerful statement that we should be killed and killing us is ok...

*deep breaths*

[arethinn]

OMGWTF??