17 Apr 2013, 09:39
The Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will discuss the position of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex people in Uganda with Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, Executive Director of the human rights organisation Freedom and Roam Uganda at its meeting today, Wednesday, 17th April 2013.
Committee Chairman Pat Breen: “We are looking forward to our meeting with Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera who, at great personal risk, has campaigned for gay rights and an end to homophobia in Uganda where homosexuality is illegal. She has faced harassment and threats of violence because of her work.
“The Penal Code in Uganda is very harsh to homosexuals. A draft Bill against homosexuality was re-introduced in 2012 and was again considered by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee in Uganda’s parliament. It is in the queue now to be considered by the full Parliament but has not yet been formally tabled. The most controversial elements of the current draft include provision for the death penalty in the case of ‘aggravated homosexuality’ and three years imprisonment for failure to disclose the identity of gay persons by members of the public.
“At our meeting today, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera will have an opportunity to update the committee on the work her organisation is carrying out to highlight discrimination against gay people in Uganda and to fight for gay rights in that country.”
The Committee will also resume its discussions on a motion on the case of Sergei Magnitsky.
This meeting will start in Committee Room 1, Leinster House at 3pm on Wednesday, 17th April2013.
Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore TD will address the Committee at 5pm on meetings of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Deputy Breen said: “The Foreign Affairs Council met on four occasions during the first quarter of 2013. At these meetings a wide range of issues were discussed, including the Southern Neighbourhood namely the Arab Spring, Syria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt; the Middle East Peace Process; Iran; Iraq; Mali; Somalia/ Horn of Africa; EU-US relations; the Eastern Neighbourhood; EU-Russia relations; and EU-Japan relations. We’re looking forward to our meeting with the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to consider the details and outcomes of these meetings. The meeting provides Committee members with an opportunity to raise any issues they have in relation to these meetings.”
At a second meeting starting at 6.30pm, the Select Committee will discuss the proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of South African and the Framework Agreements between the European Union and the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Indonesia.
Committee proceedings can be followed live at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Committee Membership
Seán Crowe, TD
Pat Breen, TD (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, TD
Olivia Mitchell, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Gerald Nash, TD
Dan Neville, TD
Maureen O’Sullivan, TD
Brendan Smith, TD
Senators
Deirdre Clune,
Mark Daly,
Lorraine Higgins,
Michael Mullins,
David Norris,
Jim Walsh.