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 Nepal High Court Issues Landmark Gay Ruling
by The Associated Press
Posted: December 21, 2007 - 11:00 am ET
(Katmandu) In a landmark verdict aimed at
legitimizing homosexuality, Nepal's top court ruled Friday that the government
must create new laws to protect gay rights and change current ones that might be
tantamount to discrimination, an official said.
The Supreme Court issued the order in this
conservative Himalayan kingdom after hearing a petition filed by four gay
activist groups seeking greater rights for homosexuals, said court spokesman Til
Prasad Shrestha.
Shrestha indicated it is up to the government to
determine how the ruling should be implemented. It was not immediately clear
whether the ruling overturns current laws banning homosexuality or whether the
government would be compelled to recognize same-sex marriages.
Homosexual acts are punishable in Hindu-majority
Nepal by up to two years in prison.
A government representative could not immediately
be contacted.
Sunil Pant of the Blue Diamond Society, the
country's main gay rights group, said it was a bold decision by the highest
court in Nepal, where homosexuals frequently face harassment, including by
police.
"It was an extremely positive decision and a
pleasant surprise for us. It would set a precedent for other conservative
countries like Nepal," Pant told The Associated Press.
©365Gay.com 2007
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