Aug 30:  European Union/Iran:  European Parliament Takes Up Case of Iranian Lesbian Facing Deportation from UK.  The president of the European Parliament, Hans Gert Pöettering, has agreed to take up the case of Pegah Emambakhsh, the Iranian lesbian who risks expulsion from the United Kingdom to Iran.
Aug 28:  France/UK/Iran:  Pink Panthers in Paris Support Iranian Lesbian Facing Deportation from UK.  The Panthères Roses of Paris (Pink Panthers) have weighed-in with support for Pegah Emambackhsh, the Iranian lesbian who is facing deportation from the UK back to Iran.
Aug 28:  UK/Iran:  International Gay Human Rights Group “Troubled” At Planned Deportation of Iranian Lesbian From UK.  A leading American gay and lesbian human rights group has joined the world-wide campaign to stop the deportation by the British Government of Pegah Emambakhsh, the 40-years-old Iranian lesbian back to her home country.
Aug 27:  Nepal:  Kathmandu Prepares for Wednesday’s Gay Pride Parade.  The sixth annual Gay Pried – or Gai Jatra – festival is being staged in Nepal capital this week by the Blue Diamond Society, the country’s gay and lesbian group.
Aug 26:  UK/Iran/Italy:  Lesbian Iranian Asylum Seeker: British Govt. Dithers Over Possible Deportation, Italy Acts.  Gay News ran the headline “Ashamed To Be British” on an article about how a gay Algerian was treated over an asylum application.  Two years on, nothing has changed when it comes to the case of Pegah Emambakhsh, the 40-years-old gay Iranian woman who is languishing in Yarls Wood Detention Centre near Bedford facing deportation – and who knows what when she arrives in Tehran.  But it’s a different story in Italy.
Aug 24:  Poland:  Leading Media Gays Distance Themselves from ‘Political Black List’ on Polish Gay Website.  A group of ten leading Polish gays working in the media have today distanced themselves from a list of homophobic politicians published on the GayLife website and reported yesterday on The News website. Polish version is also on this page
Aug 23:  USA:  Truth Wins Out Warns of New Ex Gay Sham Study on the Horizon.  Truth Wins Out, the group that counters right wing propaganda, exposes the “ex-gay” myth and educates America about gay life, has warned news organizations that a biased new politically motivated “ex-gay” sham study will reportedly surface later this year.
Aug 23:  Russia:  Moscow Gay Pride Organiser Quizzed in Political Slander Case.  The principal organiser of Moscow Gay Pride was yesterday charged by Moscow Police Central Investigations Department with slander under Article 129.2 of Russia’s Criminal Code.
Aug 23:  UK/Iran:  Gays Worldwide Rally to Aid Iranian Lesbian Facing Deportation from UK.  A last-ditch attempt to stop the deportation early next week to Tehran of a 40-years-old lesbian has been mounted by her supporters in Sheffield.  But already activists around the world are campaigning against the deportation.
Aug 18:  Uganda:  Ugandan Gays, Lesbians Launch Campaign: “Let Us Live in Peace”.  The following is a press release issued by Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), the umbrella organisation for Ugandan lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex organisations.  It is published in English and, below, in Lugandan languages.  On Thursday August 16, the Ugandan lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) community held its first ever press conference to launch the LGBTI Human Rights Media Campaign: “LET US LIVE IN PEACE”.
Aug 17:  Germany:  In a German ‘School State’, Gays Remain Outside.  After a mother interfered on behalf of the dignity of marriage, a school project at a German school has gotten a bitter aftertaste, say students and educators involved.
Aug 16:  UK/Iran:  Gay Iranian Woman Gets ‘Stay’ On UK Deportation Order.   A gay Iranian woman came within minutes of being put onto a non-stop flight to Tehran at Heathrow this evening as the UK Government’s Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) – part of the Home Office – went through the final process of deportation.
Aug 12:  New Novel Gives Rare Insight into ‘Arranged Marriage’ of Gay Asian Man in Birmingham.  Straightening Ali: A first novel by Amjeed Kabil.  Arranged marriages are nothing new in the Asian community.  But normally, today’s society in the UK thinks only of the woman’s aspect.
Aug 8:  Latin America:  Attacks On Gay and Other Rights Activists in Latin America at “Worrying Proportions”.  The level of threats, intimidation, attacks and killings of activists in Honduras and Guatemala who campaign to defend the rights of marginalised communities is reaching ‘worrying proportions’ said Amnesty International today (August 8) as it published its new report.
Aug 7:  Nepal:  Nepal Army Sacks Two Women ‘Because They Had No Breasts’, Says Gay Group.  Nepal’s army has stirred up a new controversy by sacking two women because they were flat-chested and accused of being lesbians.
Aug 6:  USA:  More Politicians Back Repeal of US Military’s ‘Anti-Gay’ Ban.  Five new lawmakers, including the highest ranking military veteran in Congress, have joined 126 other lawmakers in supporting legislation to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel.
Aug 6:  Nigeria:  Gay Athletes, Officials and Spectators Could Be At Risk If ‘Friendly Games’ Awarded to Nigeria.  It would not be right for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, dubbed as “The Friendly Games”, to be held in Nigeria, given the country’s appalling human rights record, said Davis Mac-Iyalla, founder and leader of the gay Christian group, Changing Attitude Nigeria.
Aug 2:  Russia:  Social Democratic Party Leader Plans to Join Tokyo Pride Parade.  Social Democratic Party leader, Mizuho Fukushima, will march with gay men and women and their supporters on August 11 in Tokyo Pride Parade which will call for equality and rights for LGBT people.
Aug 2:  Russia:  Moscow Gay Pride Organiser Faces Slander Charge As Police Open File.  Nikolai Alekseev, the principal organiser of Moscow Pride, could be charged with slander following comments made on live television, it emerged this morning as ‘intrigue’ expanded to link the Gay Pride with exiled Russian billionaire Boris Berezovski.
Aug 2:  UK:  Manchester Launches Legal Advice Surgery for Gays, Lesbians.  A regular twice-monthly legal advice surgery specifically for gay men and women is to be launch this month in Manchester.  It is thought to be the first of its kind in the country.
Aug 1:  USA:  Joint Chiefs Nominee Says It Is Appropriate for Congress to Revisit ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’.   The United States Navy’s most senior officer has told a Senate hearing that Congress that Congress should consider revisiting the current ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy which effectively bans gays and lesbians from serving in the US military.
Aug 1:  UK:  Fortieth Anniversary of Legal Gay Sex? In Reality Make That Ten, or Even Four.  There have been ‘celebrations’ in the past week to mark the 40th anniversary of the what has been described as “the decriminalisation of homosexuality” in England and Wales.  It was on July 27, 1967, that the Sexual Offences Act received the Royal Assent.  But this Act only partially decriminalised homosexuality.