Michael K. Lavers

A State Department spokesperson on Thursday said the U.S. is “deeply concerned” over reports that indicate more than a dozen LGBTI people in Azerbaijan have been arrested. Reuters cited an Azeri LGBTI advocacy group that said police this week arrested four transgender sex workers. Freedom House in a press release said police in Baku, the country’s capital, on Monday arrested “at least 14 LGBT+ people.” ILGA-Europe in a tweet said those who were arrested were “forced to undergo medical examination to test their HIV/STI status.” ILGA-Europe also said authorities fined some of those who were arrested and sentenced them to 30 days “of arrest” […]

LGBTI advocacy groups around the world have condemned Friday’s terrorist attack at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that have left at least 49 people dead. Express, an LGBTI newspaper in Auckland, reported organizers of the Wellington International Pride Parade that was scheduled to take place in Wellington, the country’s capital, on Saturday have postponed event.  “We, like all New Zealanders, are hurting today,” said parade organizers in a Facebook post, according to Express. “We have considered long and hard about asking Wellingtonians to walk alongside us in solidarity with our friends and whanau in Christchurch; we don’t want terrorists to win, we don’t want […]

 The mayor of a Mexican border city that has provided assistance to LGBTI migrants says President Trump’s continued demands for a border wall is a political “tactic.” Jesús Antonio Pujol Irastorza told the Washington Blade on Jan. 23 during an interview at his office — less than a mile south of the Nogales port of entry — that his administration is “prepared for issues of violence,” referring to one of Trump’s justifications for a border wall. “It is a tactic to go to certain people who want to build this wall…to say, look Congress, look Senate, we need to build […]

More than 60 members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to publicly condemn the anti-LGBTI crackdown in Chechnya. U.S. Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) and the other lawmakers in their letter also urged Pompeo to pressure the Russian government to end the crackdown. “The U.S. is a beacon of hope and freedom for the world, as it stands up for the dignity and human rights of all people everywhere,” reads the letter. “This situation is no different. It is incumbent on you to reaffirm these principles and publicly condemn […]

Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan on Monday participated in a global LGBTI rights conference that took place in the Canadian city of Vancouver.Sullivan in video remarks at the 2018 Equal Rights Coalition Global Conference on LGBTI Human Rights and Inclusive Development said the U.S. “looks forward to exploring in concrete terms what we can do together to address criminalization of LGBTI status or conduct and the serious levels of violence and discrimination targeting LGBTI persons.” “We are eager to discuss ways that the coalition can support and recognize governments and civil society activists who are pressing for positive reforms,” […]