ΕΡΩΤΗΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΟ ΕΥΡΟΚΟΙΝΟΒΟΥΛΙΟ: ΤΑ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΟΜΟΦΥΛΟΦΙΛΩΝ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΦΡΙΚΗ.

Αντιγράφω από την ιστοσελίδα του Ευρωκοινοβουλίου.

Κοινοβουλευτικές ερωτήσεις, 8 Μαρτίου 2010, P-1054/10.
ΓΡΑΠΤΗ ΕΡΩΤΗΣΗ υποβολή: Claude Moraes (S&D) προς την Επιτροπή.
Θέμα: Τα δικαιώματα των ομοφυλοφίλων στην Αφρική.
Τις τελευταίες εβδομάδες τα παγκόσμια μέσα ενημέρωσης παρουσίασαν την φριχτή κατάσταση που επικρατεί στην Ουγκάντα σε ότι αφορά τα δικαιώματα των ομοφυλοφίλων. Γνωρίζει η Επιτροπή για τα παρόμοια ομοφοβικά αισθήματα- και τα μέτρα καταστολής της κυβέρνησης - στο Μαλάουι; Και. εάν ναι, ποια μέτρα έχουν ληφθεί ώστε να διασφαλιστεί ότι οι ευρωπαϊκές αξίες και ο σεβασμός στα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα λαμβάνονται υπόψη στην σχέση της ΕΕ με το Μαλάουι;
Γενικότερα, ποιά είναι η στρατηγική της Επιτροπής όσον αφορά τα αυξανόμενα νομοθετικά μέτρα εις βάρος των ομοφυλοφίλων στην αφρικανική ήπειρο;

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Answer given by Mr Piebalgs on behalf of the Commission
The Commission is well aware of the charges brought against Mr Monjeza and Mr Chimbalanga in Malawi. The couple has been charged with ‘unnatural practices’ and ‘indecent practices’ under the Penal Code. The case is currently being tried before the magistrate court, with a verdict expected in April 2010. Malawi is Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). According to Article 26 of the ICCPR: ‘All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law’. In this respect, the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against discrimination on any ground such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
The EU will continue to follow closely the situation and raise the EU's concern within the framework of the political dialogue with the government of Malawi. In this context the EU will urge the government also to forestall police harassment against HIV educators and human rights defenders. Furthermore, the EU will seek clarification from the government regarding coherence between the national penal code and the country's international obligations.
On the Commission’s strategy with regard to the growing body of homophobic legislation throughout the African continent, the Commission is deeply concerned about the persistence and new signs of discriminatory legislation and attitudes towards sexual minorities in partner countries, such as Burundi, Malawi and Uganda. While the immediate priority is bringing an end to the imposition of criminal penalties for homosexual relations, the Commission is also continuing longer-term efforts to encourage partner countries to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, the EU supported UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity of 18 December 2008 on the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the ICCPR. The Commission pursues a determined policy of opposing homophobic actions and campaigns for the decriminalisation of homosexual relations. The Commission together with the Member States is actively engaged in efforts within the United Nations (UN) to tackle racism and discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation. For example, the EU fully and successfully supported UN consultative status for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) people rights' groups in the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Committee of the UN ECOSOC.
On 19 March revision negotiations of Cotonou agreement where concluded. After long and tough negotiations, the Commission eventually managed to amend Article 8.4, introducing the concept of ‘discrimination of any kind’, based on several grounds among others ‘sex or other status’, allowing therefore to include sexual orientation as a possible subject in the political dialogue with its partner countries. This formulation is literally based on the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The Commission did not have such a basis in the Cotonou agreement before. Therefore, once the revised Agreement will enter into force, the Commission will make use of those provisions through entire spectrum of political means at its disposal.
As soon as the revised Cotonou agreement enters into force, the Commission will also request EU Delegations to systematically address the issue of non‑discrimination, including based on sexual orientation, to be put on the agenda of our political dialogue with ACP countries. Of course, the EU in its entirety conducts such political dialogue, and therefore, EU Member States will also have to abide by this commitment of the Cotonou agreement.
The Commission and the EU will continue to maintain pressure on partner countries to have legislation compatible with the international principles on non‑discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and it will continue its support to human rights organisations working for changes in law and attitudes in their countries. More generally, the Commission and the EU will continue to strive through its relations and its cooperation programmes to support democracy and fundamental freedoms in partner countries.