The TUC is urging people to remember lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who have been killed around the world on International Day Against Homophobia this Sunday (17 May).
There are 77 countries in the world today where it is a criminal offence to be gay. In seven countries women, men and children are punished for their sexuality with death sentences.
Recent reports from Iraq reveal that the names of LGBT people are being fly-posted on streets, and those people are then being hunted down and murdered by gangs and the police simply because of their sexuality.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘While unions have campaigned for equal rights for LGBT people with much success in the UK, around the world the situation is sadly very different.
‘In many countries LGBT people face harassment, intimidation, violence, ostracism, hate crimes and even death, just because of their sexuality.
‘International Day Against Homophobia is an opportunity for unions to highlight the suffering of LGBT people all around the world, and demand that the way they are treated is improved – both in the workplace and in the wider community.’
The TUC is organising an evening event in Brighton tonight (Thursday) and the CWU will be picketing the Indian embassy in London on Sunday (17 May).
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