From Gay Star News: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/portugal-passes-trans-hate-crime-law210113
Portugal’s parliament has voted to include ‘gender identity’ as a category of hate crime law
By Dan Littauer
21 January 2013
The Portuguese parliament approved a revision of the country’s criminal code which will ban discrimination and hate crime against transgender people.
This addition to the criminal code was approved unanimously, following a proposal by the Portuguese Socialist Party.
Hate crimes against trans people in Portugal have been recorded in the recent past, transphobic violence made headlines with the murder of Gisberta Salce Júnior in 2006.
However, gender identity was absent from hate crime legislation.
Portugal’s parliament has now added ‘gender identity’ alongside ‘sexual orientation’ to articles relating to aggravated homicide and assault.
It also stressed the reprehensibility of these acts (and consequently strengthening the penalties) in case their motivation is based on the perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of the victim.
The inclusion of ‘gender identity’ in the Portuguese criminal code was a long-standing demand of ILGA Portugal.
Continue reading at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/portugal-passes-trans-hate-crime-law210113
