Belizean LGBT Rights Violations

Dated: January 31st, 2011 What was fascinating for this case was watching how we did not start on time, how the lawyers all met in chambers before the case and the formalities of referring to the Justice as milady.It was also interesting to see the Catholic Bishop, Eugene Crawford, Scott Stirm, Maria Zabaneh all sitting in the first half of the pews while I sat beside Jules and Richard Smith. Who call, my good friends. The section 53 case brought by UniBAM was set on fire on January 30th, 2011 when cross-applications were heard starting with the Churches. Listening to the Churches representation Michel Chebat, one would thing that we could not counter with any arguments Michel argued the following: 1).That UniBAM has no constitutional standing because it was not a person and as a result could not have sex. 2).That affidavits submission of expert witness by UniBAM needed to be struck out because they did not follow court procedures properly and they requested that their experts...

Jan 30, 2012 Church’s Holy, but Legal War with UNIBAM It’s a situation that many would have preferred to stay inside a closet. But since Caleb Orozco and the United Belize Advocacy Movement opened the doors to challenging old law, controversy of a biblical proportion has emerged.  It’s considered the Church’s Holy war but for the homosexual community it’s a legal and human rights battle.  Can the Church’s Good Book hold up against the leviathan of legal doctrines?  It’s not yet decided but day one of the case took place today in the Supreme Court. News Five Andrea Polanco Reports. Andrea Polanco, Reporting Proponents of the Council Churches and religious leaders gathered outside the Supreme Court since nine this morning.  Armed with prayers, flags and rosaries, they prayed as the Council of Churches takes on UNIBAM in the court in round one. The small group walked the streets and offered prayers during the court’s proceedings. But inside the court the legal...

UNIBAM: We Are One January 27, 2012 On Monday UNIBAM's constitutional challenge of constitutionality of section 53 of the criminal code is going to the Supreme Court of Belize for a Preliminary Hearing. And today, UNIBAM launched its public relations campaign to get sympathetic members of the community to come  Now, if you've been watching the polls, you might say they don't have very much support, but UNIBAM is appealing to what they believe is the silent majority, and today they pulled out all the stops: Attorneys, Human Rights experts and a Christian Minister to get the message out. We were at the press conference and here's how it went: Jules Vasquez Reporting The purpose of today's press conference was to launch these wrist-bands: Caleb Orozco - Executive President, UNIBAM "The bracelets for us are our attempt to increase the visibility of the issue, but, more precisely, for generating solidarity among individuals. You may n...