Jamaican TV Stations Sued For Not Airing Gay Rights Ad

Attorney-at-law Maurice Tomlinson has filed suit in the Supreme Court against Jamaican free-to-air television stations TVJ and CVM, claiming breach of his constitutional rights for refusing to air a Public Service Announcement (PSA) promoting tolerance towards homosexuals. He has asked the court to make declarations stating that by refusing to air the PSA the stations breached his constitutional rights. He is also asking the court to order the stations to air the ad, and has asked for damages.

This case, if it goes forward, will be an important test of the new Charter of Rights, and could be a significant test case for freedom of expression and the gay rights lobby.

In his court papers, Mr. Tomlinson says that homophobic laws, policies and attitudes throughout the region discourage homosexuals from seeking effective HIV prevention support and treatment.

Against that background, the PSA, dubbed “Love and Respect PA,” is said to be part of a campaign to promote tolerance for Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and homosexuals. The 30-second ad is described as depicting a man and his aunt, in which the man (played by Mr. Tomlinson) tells his aunt that he continues to try “to get Jamaicans to respect (his) human rights as a gay man.” The aunt tells the man that she loves him even though she does not know why he is gay.

He says he contacted CVM in February 2012 , and TVJ in March 2012, asking for the ad to be aired, and despite communication over several months, never received a final  decision on the matter. He last wrote to both stations on September 18, stating that he would take lack of response as an indication that they did not intend to air the ad.

The sections of the Charter of Rights on which Mr. Tomlinson is relying are as follows:

s. 13 (1) (c ) which states that all persons are under a responsibility to respect and uphold the rights of others recognized in this Chapter;

s. 13 (5) which states that the Charter binds natural or juristic  persons  if,  and  to  the  extent  that,  it  is applicable, taking account of the nature of the right and the  nature of any duty imposed by the right;

s. 13 (c) which sets out the right to freedom of expression;

s. 13 (d) which sets out the right to seek, receive, distribute or disseminate information, opinions and ideas through any media.