The international community has faulted Nigeria’s stand on capital punishment and “Same Sex Marriage”, saying both legislation are human rights violations.
They made their
submission at United Nations Human Rights Council’s 17th Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) Session as Nigeria presented its scorecard on the
protection of the rights of its citizens in Geneva, Switzerland.
The June 24 execution of four Nigerian inmates in Edo State was said to be against the moratorium on executions in place since 2006.
With
Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Portugal spearheading the
advocacy against the penal code, they called for its abolition, while
urging Nigeria to comply with the Second Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Canada,
Norway, Australia and Czech Republic, among other countries, called for
the amendment and review of the proposed “Same Sex Marriage
(Prohibition) Bill”.
They
stated that criminalising of persons on the basis of their sexual
orientation or gender identity “contravenes the rights to free assembly,
association and expression, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution”.
“Minority
groups in Nigeria continue to face discrimination, including on the
basis of their religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Nigeria
should take steps toe ensure the human rights of all citizens are
protected, regardless of their religion, sexual orientation or gender
identity,” Australia recommended.
While noting that Nigeria respects
and is determined to protect the rights of its citizens, the Minister
of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke,
reiterated Nigeria’s stand on both issues.
On the June 2013 killings, he said, due process was followed in the trials.
According to him, the Penal code
and Criminal code prescribe death sentence for anybody who commits
culpable homicide punishable with death and murder respectively, saying
it is a valid part of Nigerian law.
He noted that there is no act
discrimination based on sexual orientation, noting that “Nigeria does
not accept this recommendation because same-sex marriage is against its
national values.”
Recent polling data according to
the Minister suggests that 92% of Nigerians support the Anti Same spoke
-Sex Marriage Bill passed by the Senate.
While
lamenting that terrorism and violent insurgency continues to pose
“existential threats” to Nigeria, he, however, noted that Nigeria has
taken some milestone steps in curbing corruption and reducing human
rights violations through the establishment and amendment of some of its
legal frameworks and mechanisms which include the Child Rights Acts;
Legal Aids Council; financial autonomy of Independent National Electoral
Commission; Freedom of Information Act and amendment to the National
Human Rights Commission Act in 2010, among others.
“The
Government of Nigeria sees the promotion and protection of human rights
as a continuous process. It, therefore, remains determined to
improving the well-being of the citizens, especially the
under-privileged, including women and children,” the Minster stated.
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