Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-06-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria regarding the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities that the UK opposes any form of discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and any form of legislation that persecutes people on the basis of their sexuality. This has included opposition to Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage Bill which we believe infringes on the fundamental rights of expression and association, guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and by Nigeria’s international treaty obligations. Along with other EU Member States, opposition to this Bill has formed part of our dialogue with the Nigerian authorities. Where we have been made aware of specific arrests or harassment founded on the basis of the Same Sex Marriage Bill, we have made representations to the authorities on behalf of those who have been subject to discrimination.