MALTA – LAW FOR LGBT PROTECTION

The Maltese parliament has amended its existing hate crime laws to offer protection to the LGBT community.  The move comes after a pair of verbal and physical attacks on lesbian couples earlier this year.  In the past Maltese citizens have only been protected on the grounds of religion, disability and race, but now the law has been updated to include gender identity and sexual orientation.  The move has been welcomed by the Malta Gay Rights Movement who also anticipate a further constitutional amendment in the next two weeks.  This second new law will guarantee workplace and employment equality to the gay community throughout the country.

VIETNAM – GOVERNMENT TO CONSULT ON SAME-SEX MARIAGE

The Vietnamese ministry of justice has started a consultation on whether to amend the country’s laws to allow same sex couples to marry.  Currently it is illegal for gay couples to tie the knot, but the government is now speaking with Hanoi Law University, the Department for Families and the Supreme Court for their opinions on amending the constitution.  The letter used to begin the talks stated that the ministry “acknowledges that ‘cohabitation of people of the same sex is real phenomenon’ and therefore legal issues like assets and children need to be addressed.”

BRAZIL – ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW IN ACTION

A bar in the Brazilian city of Teresina has been issued with an official court warning for its behaviour towards a gay couple at an event last year.  The women sought legal intervention after being asked to leave the premises because they had been dancing together at a Valentine’s Day party.  Their complaint was investigated and upheld by a formal commission who agreed that the bar had violated Brazil’s anti-discrimination laws.  Although the law has been in place since 2002, this is the first time it has been applied in this way.