1. Human Rights in the Media
Jamie Cook

2. Anti-gay bill in gambia

3. Summary
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh signed a bill into a law, in October of last year, that can put one in jail for a lifetime for some homosexual acts as well as identifying as LGBT
As of November, no one in the government had informed the country of the new law
Some parts of the new law are identical to the Ugandan bill that was also recently turned into a law

4. The law taregets homosexual “serial offenders” and anyone in the LGBT community living with HIV or AIDs
Gambian forces may be torturing, beating, and threatening rape upon suspected homosexuals
Several Gambian homosexual have been arrested an held in a secret location which violates the Constitution

5. It is also stated in the Constitution that all people are equal before the law, and that a law can not ‘encourage discrimination’
Jammeh stated, “We know what human rights are. Human beings of the same sex cannot marry or date.”
He also threatened the Gambian LGBT community in 2008, with decapitation if they didn’t leave the country

6. Gambians can be charged for “aggravated homosexuality” for engaging in homosexual acts with someone who is under 18, disabled, or drugged or if the suspect is the parent or guardian of him/her
Article by ‘the Conversation’, states that the Criminal Codes of the 1950’s and 60’s appear to have the opinion that “homosexuality is an evil, illegal abomination, akin to the crimes of bestiality, paedophilia, and incest.”

7. Human rights abused

8. Article 1: all humans are free and equal
Article 2: ever person is entitled to rights and freedoms
Article 5: no forms of torture, cruel/inhuman punishments or degrading
Article 7: equal protection from the law
Article 9: non one subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile
Article 16: right to marry and found a family
Article 18/19: right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, opinion, and expression

9. What contributing factors may be in play that cause such a difference in the rights of the LGBT community, from Canada to African countries such as Gambia?