The StarTibune carries the AP’s Michelle Faul’s story that gay men are being rounded up and tortured in Nigeria:
LAGOS, Nigeria — First the police targeted the gay men, then tortured them into naming dozens of others who now are being hunted down, human rights activists said Tuesday, warning that such persecution will rise under a new Nigerian law.
The men’s alleged crime? Belonging to a gay organization. The punishment? Up to 10 years in jail under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, which has elicited international condemnation for criminalizing gay marriage, gay organizations and anyone working with or promoting them.
There were varying accounts of how many arrests were made in Nigeria’s Bauchi state, and a local law enforcement official denied that anyone was tortured. Nevertheless, the aggressive police action shows that Africa’s most populous country is attempting to enforce anti-gay measures that are becoming increasingly common throughout the continent….
On the US State Department of State website:
Press Statement: John Kerry, Secretary of State, Washington, DC January 13, 2014
The United States is deeply concerned by Nigeria’s enactment of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act.
Beyond even prohibiting same sex marriage, this law dangerously restricts freedom of assembly, association, and expression for all Nigerians.
Moreover, it is inconsistent with Nigeria’s international legal obligations and undermines the democratic reforms and human rights protections enshrined in its 1999 Constitution.
People everywhere deserve to live in freedom and equality. No one should face violence or discrimination for who they are or who they love.
We join with those in Nigeria who appeal for the protection of their fellow citizens’ fundamental freedoms and universal human rights.