Join our protest on the International Day Against Homophobia.

Tuesday 17 May 2005
12 noon to 2pm
Saudi Arabian Embassy
30 Charles Street, London W1J 5DZ (nearest tube Green Park)

This protest is part of the worldwide mass protests to mark the first International Day Against Homophobia. Simultaneous protests will take place in 50 cities across the globe.

Saudi Arabia has been declared "the world's most homophobic country"
following recent mass arrests, torture and flogging of gay Muslims: 35 of the 105 men arrested in March after allegedly attending a "gay wedding" have been sentenced to floggings, some up to 2000 lashes (often fatal). They and the other 70 arrested men have been sentenced to one year’s jail, where they are likely to suffer torture and rape.

Saudi Arabia’s unelected leaders enforce a fundamentalist version of Islam. They impose the death penalty for homosexuality. Several gay Muslims have been beheaded in recent years.

In spite of these atrocities unleashed on gay Saudis, and the wider human rights
abuses perpetrated by the Saudi dictatorship (including the denial of rights to women and religious minorities), the country’s fundamentalist rulers enjoy friendly relations with the UK and the US. Tony Blair and George Bush sell weapons to the Saudi torturers and murderers.

It is time the Saudis were named and shamed.

Derek Lennard, chair of the Gay & Lesbian Humanist Association (GAHLA) is co-ordinating the UK's participation in IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia). He is urging all LGBT and human rights groups to turn out on May 17 to “register our protest against the brutal maltreatment the Saudi Arabian regime metes out to its LGBT citizens.”

The IDAHO protest at the Saudi Embassy is supported by OutRage! and the Gay & Lesbian Humanist Association. We urge a wide cross section of LGBT individuals and organisations to join us on Tuesday.

Amnesty International is also appealing for intervention against the Saudis:

 http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news/press/16073.shtml
”It is hoped Tuesday’s protest will help draw public attention to the abuse of gay human rights in the Saudi kingdom, and prompt international sanctions by the EU and the UN,” said Brett Lock of OutRage!