A Couple In Malawi Facing 10 Years In Prison For Being Gay

POLITICS

» by tffhthewriter May 18, 2010, 15:48pm

A gay couple has been jailed and convicted over what the judge deemed inappropriate and unnatural behavior.

According to reports, Malawian citizens Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, who are openly gay men, were arrested after celebrating their engagement with a party at a hotel where Chimbalanga worked.

In court, the judge deemed the act of homosexuality to be inappropriate and convicted the couple for unnatural acts and gross indecency under laws dating from the colonial era. Blantyre Chief Resident Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa said the sentencing will take place on Thursday and they could be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

Edi Phiri, a gay man who fled Malawi for Britain five years ago after being beaten because of his sexuality, said he was shocked by Tuesday's verdict.

"It's very, very pathetic," he said. "I don't know how I can describe how disappointed I am."

For the gay men and lesbians that remain, many feel that the verdict will cause them to go into hiding thus making the tracking of AIDS and HIV harder, because gay people forced underground in Africa are unlikely to seek counseling and treatment for AIDS, activists say. In Malawi, nearly 1 million people – an estimated 12 percent of the population – are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Although facing very harsh criticism from neighboring European countries, the Malawian government, backed by church leaders, says it is clear the two men broke the law.

Religious officials say homosexuality is "sinful" and the West should not be allowed to use its financial power to force Malawi to accept homosexuality. Malawi relies on donors for 40 percent of its development budget.

At the verdict reading, the attorney for the two gentlemen, Priti Patel of the Southern African Litigation Centre, said the couple could appeal on the grounds that the laws under which they were prosecuted violate the country's 1994 constitution; although an earlier attempt by their lawyer to have the case thrown out on those grounds was rejected.

Homosexuality is illegal in at least 37 countries in Africa including Malawi. In Uganda, lawmakers are considering a bill that could sentence homosexuals to life in prison and includes capital punishment for "repeat offenders." Even in South Africa, the only African country that recognizes gay rights, gangs have raped lesbians.

Comment Comments 11 Tags Tags: , , ,
  • Monroe

    I think its sad that black people have fought all these years for equality, and now deprive someone else of it... it's just sick

    http://www.facebook.com/monroe.monroe

  • Lookatwhostalking

    Let them Be....They like everyone else deserve to be whoever they want like to be.... "colonial era" lol....it's 2010....SMH

  • aleximaq

    This is so sad...so sad....can Madonna step in and do something...adopt them????

  • LYRICS

    @ BUN BATTYBWOY

    I AGREE....FULLY!!!!!!!!!!1

  • http://www.indianachronicles.blogspot.com Tahlib

    Independent governments should be able to persecute whom ever they want. Richard the Lion Hearted persecuted Arabs during the Crusades. Hitler persecuted the Jews during WWII; and the Isreali's persecute the Palestinians today. Ok, so shouldn't Malawi be able to persecute their Gay citizens too? There's only one problem, if 40% of their budget comes from elsewhere, they are not too independent. He who controls of the money controls the government. If those donors want change, and I believe they should, they should leverage their money for that change.

  • Ms. Littlejohn

    Damnnn...

    : (

  • Lawrence

    CONGRATULATIONS MALAWI!!!!

  • mckulsky

    dead them is to dead,,,,,,,damnnnn batty man dem

  • Santana

    Black people make me sick. I wish they would go away.

  • Gods Child

    @ Santana 9:44........ Just ignorant...with a name like Santana the *****umption would be that you may be of hispanic decent, which means alot of people wish the same thing about you, even if you're not ethnic; you just being you is enough so take your own advise and just go away. While you are away seek counseling and get to know God.

  • Santana

    We don't want blacks or gays in this country. You guys are in the same boat.