The issue of criminalizing conversion therapies against LGBTI people was raised today at the meeting of the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, during which serious complaints were heard and recorded concerning traumatic experiences of people and what they have suffered.
Specifically, during the debate, complaints were heard concerning psychologists and psychotherapists, chaplains and alternative therapists, who engage in such methods, namely so-called conversion or reparative therapy for individuals, which aim to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Allegations have been heard that priests are leading these individuals to hormone therapies and other types of treatments, while other reports indicate that individuals have been led to suicide attempts.
Also heard during the session were allegations that parents send their children to psychiatrists, who are asked to change their sexual orientation and gender identity, and it was said that priests have performed exorcisms of such individuals.
Members of the Legal Affairs Committee spoke of "appalling allegations" and "shameful acts" which must be immediately investigated and decisions taken, while all stakeholders stressed the necessity of passing this legislation.
It should be noted that this act has already been criminalised in Malta, Germany, France, Canada, several US states, some regions of Spain, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Norway and New Zealand.
Moreover, the United Nations and the European Union are sending strong messages about this act.
The Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, Nikos Tornaritis, stressed that the Parliament will not allow the Middle Ages in Cyprus.[/B] He stressed that he is not prepared, as Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament, to tolerate such stories.
As he added, the discussion of the issue will continue at the next session of the Legal Affairs Committee, at which representatives of the Church of Cyprus will also be invited.
The representative of LGBTI people and theologian, Antonis Georgiou, in turn condemned[/B] the specific treatments, and expressed the wish that they would soon be banned.
Responding to questions from reporters, he spoke of testimonies of individuals with priests marrying homosexual people and during their confession "sending them to endocrinologists, pharmacies for viagra and hormone therapies."
He also said that they possessed testimonies of suicide attempts and exorcisms performed by priests on such individuals.
AKEL MP George Koukumas,[/B] who signed the issue, referred to "pseudo conversion therapies" to which LGBTI people are subjected, stressing that it is a "brutal practice" aimed at eliminating their sexual identity.
He said that some people rely on the notion that these people are sick and need to be treated, adding that most victims are children and women.
In addition, Mr. Koukumas referred to practices involving psychotherapies, medication, psychological coercion and even forced indoctrination by health professionals, psychotherapists and even priests.
He said that AKEL's law proposal had received a positive response and should be promoted.
In relation to the penalties provided for, he said that the proposed law provides for penalties of up to two years for those who apply pseudo-therapy and penalties of up to three years when applied to minors or persons in a vulnerable position, due to mental health.
Source: CNA
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