Ambassador to Promote GLBT Rights?
The Deputy Chairman of the Green League, Parliamentarian Oras Tynkkynen, has proposed the appointment of a Finnish ambassador to promote the human rights of sexual and gender minorities (GLBT).
Tynkkynen is taking part in an international GLBT human rights conference in Copenhagen, which is expected to be attended by around 1,000 people.
Human rights abuses against sexual and gender minorities remain a part of daily reality for many. In more than half a dozen countries sexual acts between two people of the same sex is punishable by death. Homosexuality remains illegal in around 80 countries.
“In Angola, gays can be sent to work camps, in Malaysia the sentence can be 20 years in prison while in Yemen, offenders can face the lash,” Tynkkynen notes. He adds that the punishment for love can still be imprisonment, torture or even death.
Minorities face discrimination in other ways. A GLBT ambassador as proposed by Tynkkynen would monitor and promote the human rights worldwide of sexual and gender minorities.
”While serving as Deputy Chair of the EU Parliamentarian GLBT group, Alexander Stubb, did valuable work on behalf of sexual and gender minority rights. As Foreign Minister he could continue the good work by appointing Finland’s first GLBT ambassador,” Tynkkynen proposes.
Oras Tynkkynen is one of Finland’s openly-gay parliamentarians.
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