Zelensky opens door to same-sex civil partnerships in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has opened the door to legalizing same-sex civil partnerships in the country, in response to a petition that called for equal marriage to be introduced in the war-ravaged nation.In a written reply online, Zelensky explained that it would be impossible to legalize same-sex marriages while the country remained at war, because it would require a change to the constitution.
But he said his government had “worked out solutions regarding the legalization of registered civil partnership in Ukraine as part of the work on establishing and ensuring human rights and freedoms.” The call to introduce same-sex marriage in the country has been accelerated by the war, due to the number of LGBTQ+ people serving in the military and the greater legal protections that married civilians have.
“The Family Code of Ukraine defines that the family is the primary and main unit of society. A family consists of persons who live together, are connected by common life, have mutual rights and obligations. According to the Constitution of Ukraine, marriage is based on the free consent of a woman and a man (Article 51),” Zelensky wrote on the website of the Ukrainian Presidency.
“The Constitution of Ukraine cannot be changed during a martial law or a state of emergency (Article 157 of the Constitution of Ukraine),” he explained.
No Nigeria amnesty guarantees for gay dating app victims
Police in Nigeria have urged victims of a same-sex dating app scam to come forward to give evidence. But they have refused to offer them the assurance of an amnesty in a country that criminalises gay relationships. People can face up to 10 years in jail for being part of anything considered a gay social club or group – and up to 14 years if in a same-sex relationship.
On Sunday, six people were arrested for allegedly blackmailing those who signed up to the gay dating app. Its name has not been made public by the police in the central state of Nasarawa, which is investigating the case. The arrests were made after someone complained that he had been blackmailed – police say the fraudsters threatened to publish nude photos of him on social media unless he paid them some money.
The suspects detained in a sting operation on Sunday have since confessed to luring at least eight people from around the country on a date and then taking them hostage, the police say. Their modus operandi has been to beat up their victims until they give their pin numbers. “Their bank account is then wiped out before they are let go,” police spokesperson Ramhan Nansel said. Initial investigations have confirmed that up to $3,260 (£2,700) has been extorted from eight people – but the police suspect more may have fallen victim to the scam. Mr Nansel told the BBC he understood that people might fear they could get into trouble if they came forward to the police, but it was not up to him to offer an amnesty. It is not clear if the first complainant will face prosecution – this was something the police commissioner would have to decide, the police spokesperson said.
US same-sex marriage plaintiff running for office
Jim Obergefell, whose landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationally, is hoping he and fellow Democrats can make gains in the Ohio Statehouse this year with a message grounded in equality.
“It really just all comes down to: Can’t we all just get along and treat each other like human beings? Can’t we be decent people?” the celebrity plaintiff -turned-Ohio House candidate told the Democratic Women of Erie County on a recent summer evening. “And we all deserve to be part of ‘We the People.’”
Obergefell, 56, is unopposed in a primary Tuesday for a state legislative seat representing Ohio’s Lake Erie coast through Ottawa and Erie counties. He’s already looking toward a November faceoff against second-term Republican Rep. D.J. Swearingen, 36, a Sandusky attorney who has focused his campaign on “kitchen table” issues.
The race marks the first time that Obergefell has moved from activism into a political run for office. He’s campaigning at a sensitive time for the LGBTQ rights movement after the U.S. Supreme Court in June repealed the constitutional right to abortion, raising fears that other rights may also fall away, including same-sex marriage.
With that in mind, the U.S. House overwhelmingly voted last month to approve legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. The legislation is being considered in the Senate.
