Ugandan gays win judgment.

A Ugandan court awarded two women, who were allegedly harassed by police and arrested on suspicion of being lesbians, $7,000. The two lesbians, Yvonne Oyoo and Victor Juliet Mukasa, were in Mukasa’s home back in 2005 when it was raided by police, reports the BBC. During the raid, the police undressed Oyoo to prove she was a woman and assaulted her. The women took the police to court over the incident, and the case is believed to be the first ever in the nation of its kind. “I am suing because of the constant human rights violations that are committed against LGBT people by the government and the public of Uganda without anyone raising a hand,” Mukasa told the New Internationalist in 2007. Homosexual acts are against the law in Uganda and gays have always been a huge target for discrimination. So the verdict, which awarded Oyoo with $5,000 for “arbitrary torture” and $2,000 to Mukasa for the damage to her home, has brought excitement to the nation’s gays. “The verdict is welcomed with excitement by the gay community. It is a Christmas surprise for us,” said gay activist Kasha Jacqueline.

Judge won’t annul 8 year old’s marriage.
In Saudi Arabia, a judge has refused to annul a marriage between an 8-year-old girl and a 47-year-old man, reports CNN. The marriage was apparently arranged by the girl’s father to take care of his debts with a friend of his, according to a lawyer. The judge denied the petition, which was brought by the girls mother because she doesn’t have legal guardianship, said her lawyer Abdullah al-Jutaili. “Therefore, she cannot represent her daughter in these proceedings,” he said. The judge did, however, asked the girl’s husband to pledge not to consummate the marriage until his wife reaches puberty. When she does reach puberty, she can then ask for a divorce herself by filing with the court, said the lawyer. There are many cases of child marriages in the country, according to a Human Rights Watch researcher. A Saudi rights group, the Human Rights Commission, has denounced child marriages. “The Human Rights Commission opposes child marriages in Saudi Arabia,” a spokesman said. “Child marriages violate international agreements that have been signed by Saudi Arabia and should not be allowed.”

Comments (3)