Nigeria Arrests Dozens Over Same-Sex Wedding
nytimes.comThe police in Nigeria have arrested over 60 people who were in attendance at what the authorities claimed was a same-sex wedding, reinforcing a crackdown on L.G.B.T.Q.
people in Africa’s most populous nation. The police also broadcast the identities of some of those arrested on social media and encouraged members of the public to help “uphold the moral standards of the society” by providing relevant information — moves that raised concern that those who attended the event would be subjected to stigma or violence.
Under a 2014 law, anyone entering a same-sex marriage or civil union in Nigeria can be imprisoned for up to 14 years. Those who administer or witness such a ceremony can face up to 10 years in prison.
At the time it was enacted, the U.S. secretary of state, John Kerry, said the law violated basic human rights protections. Bright Edafe, a police spokesman in Delta State in southern Nigeria, said the arrests were a sign that the country was going to use an iron fist against gay unions. “We are in Africa, and we are in Nigeria.
