Taylor Wessing takes anti-gay law case to ECHR
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Taylor Wessing has taken on its first case since signing up to the Human Dignity Trust’s legal panel, representing two men arrested in Turkish-controlled Cyprus under a law that criminalized gay sex.
According to reports, on Sunday 29 January two inmates at Nicosia prison appeared in court charged with having “sexual intercourse against the order of nature”. The law – which carries a sentence of five years – is a piece of British Empire-era legislation that has not yet been repealed in Northern Cyprus, despite promises from politicians. Neither Turkey nor the Republic of Cyprus has similar legislation in their own countries.
Taylor Wessing’s head of pro bono Paul Callaghan is leading on the case, which is being taken to the European Court of Human Rights. It is being brought against Turkey, which retains control of Northern Cyprus. Callaghan has instructed 39 Essex Street’s Nigel Pleming QC and Blackstone Chambers’ Tom Mountford.
Taylor Wessing, which is doing the work pro bono, was instructed through its involvement with non-governmental organisation, the Human Dignity Trust, which aims to eradicate anti-gay laws across the word.
Taylor Wessing is one of 15 law firms that signed up to the Human Dignity Trust’s legal panel. The others are: Baker & McKenzie, Bates Wells & Braithwaite, Bindmans, Clifford Chance, Davis Wright Tremaine, Debevoise & Plimpton, Finers Stephens Innocent, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith, Hogan Lovells, Leigh Day & Co, Webber Wentzel, Weil Gotshal & Manges and Wragge & Co.
Readers' comments (1)
ccf | 7-Feb-2012 5:50 pm
This is good to see. All larger firms now say they are committed to equality, and go on about it at some length on their websites and in recruitment literature. However, firms that also commit serious time/money to initiatives such as this can be taken more seriously when they say it. After all, marketing flim flam alone costs (and is worth) nothing.
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