Epress.am News from Armenia
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has slammed Eurovision Song Contest-winning country Azerbaijan as unwelcoming to gays, the Pink Paper reported on May 16.
Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal of Ell/Nikki, representing Azerbaijan, scored 221 points with their song Running Scared, meaning that 2012’s event will now be hosted in Azerbaijan.
But Peter Tatchell has slammed the prospect, claiming that they have a poor record on lesbian and gay rights.
“Azerbaijan is not a welcoming or safe country for LGBT people,” he said. “Although homosexuality was decriminalized in 2001, the LGBT community suffers police harassment and brutality, including bashings, blackmail, intimidation, bribery and invasions of privacy. LGBT people risk eviction from their homes and dismissal from their jobs.
“They have no legal protection against discrimination. Homophobic prejudice, threats and violence are systemic problems,” he said.
According to Swiss LGBT publication Association Press 360, “the British and German press predicted (rather quickly) a boycott of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest by LGBT communities” who are concerned about the climate of homophobia in the country.