International Applaud

for Amendments to Penal Law 

International rights organisations have announced that they are pleased with the latest amendments to the penal law of Northern Cyprus, approved by the parliament on Monday, decriminalising homosexuality.

Queer Cyprus activist Ziliha Uluboy, who spoke to gazete360.com stated that they are very pleased with the approval of the amendments. Uluboy said this is a very positive development adding that homosexuals will be able to become visible in the society from now on. “This is just the beginning,” said Uluboy. “Homosexuals should have all the rights that heterosexuals have.”

Accept-LGBT Cyprus, in a statement said that it welcomes this development with great satisfaction, acknowledging its importance with regards to the progress of the human rights of the LGBT people, throughout Cyprus and for all Cypriots.

Paulo Côrte-Real, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s executive Board, said:

“We welcome today’s vote and can finally call Europe a continent completely free from laws criminalising homosexuality. In 1981, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in its historic judgment in Dudgeon v UK case that such laws are in breach of the European Human Rights Convention and must be abolished. It took Europe 33 years to completely free the continent from these unjust and discriminatory laws.”

Source: lemonCY.eu