A court in Nigeria has released 69 people who were arrested earlier this month at what police labeled a “gay wedding”.
Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria and people face jail sentences of up to 14 years, while some states also include elements of Sharia law which add additional penalties of caning. There are also laws against public displays of affection between people of the same sex, and penalties for supporting homosexuality.
Lawyer Ochuko Ohimor has told CNN that the court has now released all of the suspects after they each posted a surety of 500,000 naira (AUD $1,000) and made undertakings to report to the court once a month until their next hearing takes places.
“They are to provide sureties, who will submit their particulars to the court. So, the 69 suspects have been granted bail and I am processing their paperwork,” Ohimor said.
State prosecutors reportedly opposed the suspects being bailed, but the court ruled they could be free because they were not facing capital offences.
At the time of their arrest Human Rights Watch reported that police publicly paraded the suspects before the media, interrogating them about the accusations, assaulting their dignity and rights to privacy, association, and a fair trial, among others.
The country’s High Court has previously ruled that parading suspects before the media violate both their constitution and the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights, but the practice remains common place.
OIP Staff
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