Cook Islands continues to criminalise homosexuality

5 November 2019

Responding to reports that the Parliament of the Cook Islands has backed down on its promise to decriminalise homosexuality, Amnesty International Australia campaigner Joel Clark said:

“We all have the right to be treated equally, no matter our sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite recent wins for equality around the world, in many countries the right to express our sexuality is still being challenged.

“The Cook Islands has a chance to be on the right side of history in decriminalising homosexuality, and we hope that its Parliament will be stronger than to bend to the will of pressure groups that seek to deny people their basic human rights to express their sexuality freely.”