Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE JAMAICAN gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community is contending that the government has failed to objectively examine reports of alleged injustice of its members and in turn, make the necessary changes to protect their human rights.
"They harshly criticise international human rights reports and instead they need to open the door of dialogue," Janthony Simmonds, spokesperson for the GLBT, told The Gleaner. "The government also needs to protect the GLBT community here and the only way to do that is to repeal Sections 76,77 and 79 of the Offences Against the Person Act," said Simmonds.
REPORT
The community's rage comes on the heels of a report entitled 'Hated to Death: Homophobia, Violence and Jamaica's HIV/ AIDS Epidemic' by Human Rights Watch, in collaboration with Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ), the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights and Families Against State Terrorism (FAST). The report was made public on Tuesday.
The report accused the police of harassment and prosecution of people suspected of homosexual conduct, sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS.
