29.10.2014
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We are sorry to inform you that the Court of Appeal has ruled against us. For more about the judgement, please refer to the news articles below:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-29/singapore-s-top-court-upholds-ban-on-sex-between-men.html
http://www.afp.com/en/node/2995260
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/courts-crime/story/court-appeal-rules-section-377a-criminalises-sex-between-men-const
Please also find below a statement from Gary and Kenneth, and on behalf of the couple and the LGBT community of Singapore, we will like to thank you for your help, prayers and support.
Statement from Gary and Kenneth.
"We are deeply disappointed with the judgement of the Court and though it has ruled that it is beyond its judiciary function to help the lgbt community, we are thankful that the justices have taken the time to consider this appeal in detail. We hope that parliament will be able to do so as well.
While the legal road for us has ended, we believe and hope that this case has inspired Singaporeans - straight, gay, bisexual and transgender - not to keep silent in the face of prejudice and inequality.
We have been in a loving relationship for over 17 years and this past year has been an incredible milestone for us. We decided to embark on this journey because we felt that the LGBT community deserves to be recognized as equal to the rest of society in the eyes of the law and have been witness to the discrimination and unfair treatment of the LGBT community on the basis of S377A of the Penal Code.
Being a part of this historical campaign provided us the opportunity to show young LGBT people that there are gay and lesbian couples in Singapore who have weathered the discriminatory nature of our society and though we have to strive harder than heterosexual couples to be together, it can be done. We hope that we and the many other LGBT couples who are increasingly telling their stories will help others, and we hope that Singaporeans will see this as a minor setback for equality and fairness, and that we can as a country recognise the value of LGBT people.
We would like to thank the many people who have supported us on this fight. From the many who have donated funds to the legal case, to those who have contributed their knowledge and expertise. We also thank our lawyers Deborah Barker and Peter Low both of whom have been immensely supportive during the 2 phases of our legal challenge.
This particular journey may have ended for us but it continues for the rest of the community.
Thank you"
Update 01.04.2014
Dear friends and supporters,
We have been informed by the courts that the hearing has been postponed to the week of 7th July.
Update 13.01.2014
Dear friends and supporters,
After the postponement of the last hearing, we have received word that the case will be heard in the week of 7th April 2014.
It should be relatively quiet between now and then, but keep sending across those positive energies.
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Dear friends and supporters,
We are reaching the last stage of the challenge and our case would be heard in the Court of Appeal sometime in the week of 14th October.
We will post another update when we find out more, and keep sending positive vibes this way!
POST-CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Thank you again for helping Gary and Kenneth raise the sum for the constitutional challenge. The funds are now with the couple's lawyers. Read about the new legal team to support the couple:
Jul 9, 2013 - Gay Star News
Singapore sodomy law challenge gets new star legal team
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE
Gary and Kenneth, a Singaporean gay couple of 15 years, have filed a constitutional challenge against Section 377A of the Singapore Penal Code, which criminalises sex between gay men.
On 9 April 2013, the High Court ruled against the couple and retained the anti-gay law. Gary and Kenneth have decided to file for an appeal.
The cost of mounting a constitutional challenge adds up to a substantial figure. As friends of the couple, we are helping by raising funds for their legal challenge and seeing them through this long and difficult journey.
Related news articles:
Aug 20, 2012 - Sayoni
Section 377A challenge can proceed: Court of Appeal
Feb 14, 2013 - The Straits Times
Legal challenge to Section 377A begins in the High Court; judgment reserved
Apr 9, 2013 - Channel NewsAsia
Singapore High Court upholds criminalisation of homosexuality
BACKGROUND
S377A of the Penal Code states that:
"Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years."
Singapore is one of the few Asian countries, and the only advanced economy in the world, which still criminalises homosexuality. We believe this constitutional challenge is a rare opportunity to set things right and take our place among the many Asian and first world nations that do not have such a law.
While the Government of Singapore has said that S377A would not be proactively enforced, the fact is that is has been used, and its existence is a threat to all gay men. As it is, S377A - even if unenforced - also stands in the way of the fight against discrimination of the entire LGBT community in society, at the workplace, as well as the way LGBT people are portrayed in the mass media.
Watch: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the criminalisation of homosexuality
FUNDS NEEDED
Th initial crowd-sourced target of US$50,000* (approx S$62,000) is an important milestone toward the cumulative target total of US$150,000 that is actually needed to be raised for legal and court fees (over both High Court and Court of Appeal phases). That total estimated sum of US$150,000 means that we still have some way to go before our final target is reached. As such, we will gratefully continue to accept contributions from wellwishers.
As we had previously stated, all proceeds will be sent to our legal team. In the event that fundraising is in excess of the expenses of the constitutional challenge, surplus funds raised online will be donated to LGBT-related causes in Singapore.
*The currency of contributions for this campaign is in USD because Indiegogo does not process SGD.
WHO WE ARE
We are members and allies of Singapore's LGBT community who are deeply moved by the couple's courage. Among us are individuals who are straight and gay, and we do not believe a person should be fearful of being imprisoned because of his sexual orientation.
Gary and Kenneth have bravely stood forward on behalf of all LGBT people in Singapore. Let us come together and show the couple our support.
