Judge in China Rules Gay Couple Cannot Marry
Thu Apr 14, 2016 07:57:am World
1.9K By sosa hills
China's first case by a same-sex couple seeking the right to marry was dismissed by a Judge in the central province of Hunan on Wednesday.
The couple was suing the local Civil Affairs Bureau in Changsha city for refusing to issue them a marriage registration certificate.
The couple's lawyer Shi Funong said he expected the ruling not so soon — within just a few hours.
The plaintiff Sun Wenlin said he would appeal until he exhausts all legal options.
"We are all dissatisfied with the result and I will appeal," 27-year-old plaintiff, Sun Wenlin, told the newsmen after the court session.
He added that his mother was in court to support him.
"The case opened and closed this morning, we lost, the reason given was that according to the Marriage Law, only a man and a woman can marry," Fulong said.
His lawyer said that the judgement would be ready between the next 10 days, saying "we will receive the written judgment within 10 days and we will appeal within 15 days after we get the paper,"Fulong said.
Several hundred supporters were gathered outside the courthouse on Wednesday morning, mostly local Chinese but a few foreigners.
"Today when we walked out of the court, people were boiling mad and they shouted go for it.
"Some of my friends told me that my case has encouraged them, although they still don't dare to come out,'' Wenlin said.
The lawsuit comes amid growing awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in China, where society and the government have generally frowned on non-traditional expressions of gender and sexuality.
China doesn't legally recognize same-sex marriage and officials with the central government have said they do not see the law changing soon.
The couple was suing the local Civil Affairs Bureau in Changsha city for refusing to issue them a marriage registration certificate.
The couple's lawyer Shi Funong said he expected the ruling not so soon — within just a few hours.
The plaintiff Sun Wenlin said he would appeal until he exhausts all legal options.
"We are all dissatisfied with the result and I will appeal," 27-year-old plaintiff, Sun Wenlin, told the newsmen after the court session.
He added that his mother was in court to support him.
"The case opened and closed this morning, we lost, the reason given was that according to the Marriage Law, only a man and a woman can marry," Fulong said.
His lawyer said that the judgement would be ready between the next 10 days, saying "we will receive the written judgment within 10 days and we will appeal within 15 days after we get the paper,"Fulong said.
Several hundred supporters were gathered outside the courthouse on Wednesday morning, mostly local Chinese but a few foreigners.
"Today when we walked out of the court, people were boiling mad and they shouted go for it.
"Some of my friends told me that my case has encouraged them, although they still don't dare to come out,'' Wenlin said.
The lawsuit comes amid growing awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in China, where society and the government have generally frowned on non-traditional expressions of gender and sexuality.
China doesn't legally recognize same-sex marriage and officials with the central government have said they do not see the law changing soon.
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