Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's response to such representations as it has received in relation to the proposed changes in the law governing homosexual relations in Nigeria. [4314/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that legislative changes in relation to homosexuality have been proposed in Nigeria. A Bill entitled 'Prohibition of Relationship between Persons of the Same Sex, Celebration of Marriage by them and other matters connected therewith' had its Second Reading on 17 May 2006 and was referred to the Nigerian Parliament's Joint Committees on Women Affairs and Youth Development, Human Rights and Justice. I understand that this Bill is progressing slowly through the Committee Stage and is unlikely to be adopted before Nigeria's April 2007 elections.

Some Nigerian non-governmental organisations have expressed concerns that, should a new law be adopted along the lines initially proposed, people could be prosecuted and imprisoned merely for campaigning for legislative change in relation to homosexuality, or for protesting against the existing laws. They are worried that lawyers could be prosecuted for defending people who face criminal charges in relation to homosexual activity. EU Heads of Mission in Abuja met several Nigerian NGOs to discuss these concerns.

I am concerned that these proposed changes to the law risk infringing Nigeria's international human rights obligations, including in the areas of freedom of assembly, freedom of opinion and the right to privacy. They may also infringe the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria acceded without reservations in 1993. It is conceivable that the Bill could criminalise non-governmental organisations who may be working to promote homosexual rights in Nigeria.

In June 2006, representatives of the EU Heads of Mission in Abuja drew the attention of the Nigerian Minister for Justice and of senior figures in the Nigerian Federal Parliament to concerns that the proposed legal changes could infringe international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.

Our Embassy in Nigeria, in common with other EU Embassies, is actively seized of this issue and will continue to convey our serious concerns to the Nigerian authorities.