Inter-American Human Rights Court to Give First-Ever Ruling on Anti-Gay Measures Agencia EFE
go to original May 2, 2015

U.S. military members involved in the gay pride parade in San Diego, California. (EFE)

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is to give its first ruling on punitive state measures against gays, after examining the case of an Ecuadorean soldier who was expelled for his sexual orientation.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, IACHR, said this week that it brought this case before the Court as there was "existence of discriminatory prejudices by which the aptitude of a person to perform his or her functions within a military institution has traditionally been called into question, on the bases of his or her actual or perceived sexual orientation."

Homero Flor Fleire was removed from the army based on a military discipline regulation that penalizes sexual acts between persons of the same sex with expulsion from service, according to IACHR.

"The Commission does not find the relationship between means and ends, as between punishing 'acts of homosexuality' in the armed forces and upholding the military values sought to be protected, such as honor, dignity, discipline, and extolling civic-mindedness," the Commission said in a statement issued in Washington.

Read the rest at La Prensa

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