Peter Tatchell Slams Eurovision on Their Poor Record on GLBT Issues

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has slammed Eurovision Song Contest-winning country Azerbaijan as unwelcoming to gays.

Azerbaijan - the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia - won the annual competition on Saturday, beating both Blue and Jedward, plus forty other competitors.

Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal of Ell/Nikki scored 221 points with their song Running Scared, meaning that 2012's event will now be hosted in Azerbaijan.

But Peter Tatchell has slammed the prospect, claiming that they have a poor record on lesbian and gay rights.

“Azerbaijan is not a welcoming or safe country for LGBT people," he said. "Although homosexuality was decriminalised in 2001, the LGBT community suffers police harassment and brutality, including bashings, blackmail, intimidation, bribery and invasions of privacy. LGBT people risk eviction from  their homes and dismissal from their jobs.                                                            

"They have no legal protection against discrimination. Homophobic prejudice, threats and violence are systemic problems.

“Azerbaijan has a very poor human rights record on all fronts. It restricts religious and media freedom and is notorious for the use of torture and the arrest of opposition activists on trumped up charges.

"Earlier this month, Jabbar Savalanli, a member of the opposition Popular Front Party, was jailed for two and a half years on bogus drug charges. Nine journalists and bloggers are currently in prison for expressing dissenting opinions,” he said.


By  James Sanders
  
http://news.pinkpaper.com