The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Rights Program at Human Rights Watch on Friday named its candidates to its annual "Hall of Shame" to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The American Center for Law and Justice, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, a member of Ukraine's Parliament, and the Ukrainian political party Svoboda are undermining human rights by actively promoting homophobic policies, Human Rights Watch said.
On Friday, LGBT groups in over 100 countries commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The annual celebration began in 2004 to mark the 1990 decision by the World Health Organization to remove homosexuality from its rosters of disorders.
"Since our last 'Hall of Shame' there have been significant strides in many parts of the world toward equality for LGBT people, including in Uruguay, New Zealand, and France," said Graeme Reid, LGBT Rights director at Human Rights Watch. "The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is a day to celebrate these achievements and to challenge discriminatory practices against LGBT people," he added.
The 2013 Human Rights Watch "Hall of Shame" inductees were selected for endangering the lives and dignity of LGBT people in 2013. They strongly contributed to a homophobic and transphobic environment during the past year, Human Rights Watch said in a press release.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) was named for attempting to export homophobia to Africa. It strongly opposes LGBT equality and reproductive rights in the United States and across the globe.
The New York-based human rights watchdog named Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh "for his homophobic vitriol and promotion of anti-gay laws." At the opening of the Gambian Parliament in Banjul in March, Jammeh gave a stark warning to LGBT people in Gambia, saying that "If you are convicted of homosexuality in this country, there will be no mercy for offenders."
Vadym Kolesnichenko, a member of the Ukraine parliament, was responsible for initiating one of two draft laws currently before parliament that would discriminate against LGBT people and infringe on their fundamental rights to free expression.
The Ukrainian political party Svoboda, which holds 12 percent of seats in parliament, has included a pledge to "introduce criminal responsibility for propaganda of drug use and sexual perversions" as part of its party platform. The party repeatedly speaks out against LGBT people's rights and has announced its support for homophobic bills.
"Homophobia and transphobia are still very much alive and pose a daily threat to the basic human rights of LGBT people," Reid said. "The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is a celebration of achievements and a reminder to all that human rights are universal and apply to everyone, including LGBT people," he added.
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