Sexual Orientation

UN CCPR General Comment No. 31 [80]: Nature of the General Legal Obligation Imposed on States Parties to the Covenant (adopted on 26 May, 2004)

The Comment discusses the responsibility of States Parties' to ensure protection and enforcement of rights and freedoms guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for all people in their territory, regardless of citizenship. These rights and freedoms include protection from discrimination. The obligation to respect and ensure the rights that are guaranteed by the Covenant should take effect immediately.

UNCCPR General Comment 21: Humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty (Article 10)

Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty, applies to everyone without any distinction or discrimination based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The Comment emphasizes the "positive obligation" Article 10 places on States Parties to prevent the torture or inhuman, degrading treatment of detained persons.

Protecting LGBT People Seeking Asylum: Guidelines on the Refugee Status Directive

This paper was published by ILGA-Europe to help identify which provisions of the Refugee Status Directive (Directive 2004/83/EC) are relevant to third-country LGBT nationals seeking asylum in the European Union. The paper first provides background and key points of the Directive, defining the terms “refugee” and “subsidiary protection,” and identifies the rights that people under these statuses are entitled to.

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