Date: Sun, 10 Sep 1995 09:07:19 -0700
From: crosswix@ix.netcom.com (camille )

Montclair, New Jersey USA
September 8, 1995 (7:00PM, EST)

COSTA RICA AUTHORITIES CHARGED WITH HUMAN RIGHTS OFFENSES
BY HOMOSEXUAL MINORITY

The government of Costa Rica has been charged with a series of human
rights breaches on account of its failure to enforce human rights
protections as they effect that country's homosexual minority.  A
complaint was filed today by the Magnus Hirschfeld Center for Human
Rights, a New Jersey-based international human rights advocacy NGO
before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an official
agency of the Organization of American States (OAS).  The Commission is
charged with the enforcement and interpretation of the American
Convention on Human Rights, an international agreement among western
hemisphere states to which Costa rica is a party.

William Courson, the Center's executive director stated that the
complaint was filed in the wake of "a number of actions taking place
over the last two years, which taken together betoken an omenous
pattern emerging in Costa Rica.  While until recently Costa Rica's
human rights record is exemplary, it appears that with respect at least
to that country's gay and lesbian communities that standard is
deteriorating.  In 1993, a university in San Jose [Costa Rica's
capital] announced publically that it would refuse to accept in its
ranks homosexual students and faculty, and would expel or fire those
already affiliated with the institution; in spite of international
calls for action on its part, the government has taken no action
whatsoever.

Over the past two years, numerous incidents of police harrassment of
gay and lesbian people and groups have taken place and remain
unaddressed by the authorities.  Several months ago, Costa Rica's
government refused to grant legal registration to a gay human rights
group and although this decision was later reversed by the government,
it required the threat of an international confrontation to bring such
an end about.  Earlier this year, Costa rican newspapers launched what
amounted to a call for a state- sponsored 'pogrom' against homosexual
citizens, residents and tourists.

In spite of its domestic and international legal obligations, Costa
rica's government has remained silent.  It is this last event that
forms the substance of our complaint.  One can only suspect the
involvement of reactoinary elements in Costa Rican society, most
especially segments of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in that country, of
attempting to subvert Costa Rica's historical respect for the rights of
the individual."

Under the procedures established by the OAS, the Human Rights
Commissionwill refer the matter to the government charged with
violations for an exchange of views prior to undertaking formal
consideration of the complaint on its merits.  Decisions of the Human
Rights Commission (and of its appellate body, the Inter-American Court
of Human Rights, which has its seat in San Jose, Costa Rica) are of an
obligatory character and have the force of law.

Magnus F. Hirschfeld Center for Human Rights
Attn: W.A. Courson
Post Office Box 1974
Bloomfield, New Jersey 07003-1974
U.S.A.
Facsimile: (201) 746-3147
E-Mail: crosswix@ix.netcom.com

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