Ivory Coast: controversy over homosexuality

Ivorian deputies during a session of Parliament in Abidjan.

(Drawing).

AFP - SIA KAMBOU

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The rights of homosexuals will still have to wait in Côte d'Ivoire.

As part of an amendment to the Penal Code, the government planned to add “sexual orientation” to the grounds of discrimination proscribed by law, such as race or religion.

On October 28, the deputies of the General and Institutional Affairs Committee decided unanimously - opposition as a majority - to withdraw the reference to "sexual orientation" from the text.

But the controversy does not fall.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Abidjan,

While the reference to “sexual orientation” was withdrawn from the draft amendment to article 226 of the Criminal Code on discrimination two weeks ago, this Tuesday, November 9, the pro-Gbagbo parliamentary group is reviving the controversy.

In a press conference, Auguste Dago spokesperson for the EDS group spares no homophobic amalgamation or remarks to accuse the power of wanting,

, with this provision, to legalize homosexual marriage in the long term: " 

 "

A "

" politician, retorts this Wednesday the spokesman of the government Amadou Coulibaly, at the end of the Council of Ministers.

If in Côte d'Ivoire, same-sex couples are not legally recognized, homosexuality is not illegal.

Homosexuals, however, are often stigmatized in society.

And the law does not protect them, therefore against discrimination.

The text must now go to the Senate before returning for plenary consideration in the Assembly.

►

Health priority: Support for LGBT people in Côte d'Ivoire

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

• Ivory Coast

• Human rights