[JURIST] The Estonian Parliament, the Riigikogu [official website], passed legislation [press release, in Estonian] Thursday legalizing same-sex partnerships. The act passed [AP report] by a narrow 40-38 vote with another 23 lawmakers abstaining. The new law grants couples in same-sex partnerships similar rights as married couples, including legal protection for children, but it does not grant same-sex couples adoption rights expect where the child is the biological child of one of the partners in the union. The Estonian Human Rights Centre [advocacy website] has praised the bill stating in a press release [text]:

By passing this law, Estonia made a leap towards a society that is more free, more equal and values human rights for all. The thousands of individuals who each in their own courageous way spoke out and took a stand for human rights and equality are an inspiration not only to everyone in Estonia but to other peoples and states in the region.

The bill will go into effect in January 2016 after being signed by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves [official website].

Estonia has become the first member of the former Soviet Union to enact laws allowing for same-sex partnerships. Earlier this week the US Supreme Court [official website] denied seven pending appeals [JURIST report], rejecting calls for a nationwide ruling on same-sex marriage. The rebuff puts into effect three federal appeals decisions, legalizing same-sex marriage in Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana. In September the French Court of Cassation [official website, in French] ruled [JURIST report] that a woman is allowed to adopt the child of her same-sex spouse conceived through in vitro fertilization. Also in September eight men in Egypt were referred to trial[JURIST report] for inciting debauchery after appearing in a video of what is said to be the country’s first same-sex marriage.