A vote by the Haiti Senate has banned gay marriage.
The approved bill says any ‘parties, co-parties and accomplices’ of a gay marriage can be jailed for three years and fined $8,000 (€6,746). The state approved the text on Tuesday.
Senate President Youri Latortue told AFP: ‘All senators are opposed to same-sex marriage, so this simply reflects the commitments they made during their campaigns.’
Latortue also stressed the commonly held belief in Haiti that homosexuality is a Western practice only.
Haitian law already defines marriage as a partnership between a man and a woman.
‘This text divides our society’
The Senate is now also calling for a ban on any ‘public demonstration of support for homosexuality.’
Charlot Jeudy is the president of the Kouraj group, which defends the right of gay and trans people in Haiti.
They said: ‘We see this as an attack on the LGBT community in this country. This text divides our society. It reinforces prejudices and discrimination.’
The countries two gay rights groups already receive daily threats and abuse.
This bill is now in the Chamber of Deputies for debate.
