Gay Couple sentenced to 14 years in Africa

[Cherry Dynamite]

BLANTYRE, Malawi - A judge sentenced a couple to the maximum 14 years in prison with hard labor under Malawi's anti-gay legislation, and crowds jeered the two men as they were driven from the court house to jail Thursday.

The harsh sentence for unnatural acts and gross indecency had been expected after the same judge convicted Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza earlier this week under laws dating from the colonial era. The case has drawn international condemnation and sparked a debate on human rights in this conservative southern African country.

Chimbalanga, a 20-year-old hotel janitor, and his unemployed partner were arrested Dec. 27, the day after they celebrated their engagement with a party at the hotel where Chimbalanga worked — an apparent first in Malawi.

"Maximum sentences are intended for use for worst cases," Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa Usiwa said as he delivered his sentence. "We are sitting here to represent the Malawi society which I do not believe is ready at this point in time to see its sons getting married to other sons or conducting engagement ceremonies."

The lawyer for the two, Mauya Msuku, said they would appeal.

Hundreds of onlookers inside and outside the court house showed little sympathy. There were shouts of "You got what you deserve!" and "Fourteen years is not enough, they should get 50!"

Michelle Kagari, deputy Africa director of Amnesty International called the sentence "an outrage."

Her rights watchdog has adopted Chimbalanga and Monjeza as prisoners of conscience, and would "continue to campaign on this matter and to work tirelessly to see that they are released unconditionally as soon as possible," Kagari told The Associated Press by telephone from her office in Kampala, Uganda.

Mark Heywood, director of the South Africa-based AIDS Law Project called the sentence "outrageous and a violation of human rights." He said activists should hold protests around the world against Malawi.

Gift Trapence, executive director of the Centre for the Development of People, was at the court house Thursday and told reporters: "How can they get 14 years simply for loving one another? Even if they are jailed for 20 years you can't change their sexuality."

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.

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

Taken from this article if you want to read the entire thing.

Now, of all the things I expected to read in the news this morning when I woke up, this wasn't one of them. I hadn't been aware of the first case or the fact that gay rights were so... non-existent in Africa.

It's horrible that it's come down to sentencing lovers to 14 years in jail and even more so that in one place, they're trying to get life sentences okay-ed or even executed. It probably won't happen any time soon, but hopefully these young men will get their appeal and be released and there's hope for the gay community in Africa. However, it's hard to change someone's culture for sexuality, it's going to take a long, long time for change.

So, discuss. And try not to bash anyone too bad, that's not the point of this thread.

[Bardie]

This really tore me up inside as I was reading this. I hope those two men become free one day, cuz their sentence is a very big fu€king outrage.

[N-sama]

This is why I hate people. What is so wrong with being gay?
Love is love! Gender doesn't matter! It's what's in the heart that counts
I hope they become free, and everyone who was punished for being gay also

[Arista]

Y'know what? If God/Jesus/Whoever is chillin' up in the clouds, THEY WOULD NOT BE GAY. And love knows no age, nor gender. Don't like gay people, stay away from them. Why would it bother you if you were far away from them? Honestly... Don't like gay marriage? Don't get a gay marriage and STFU. I hate stupid, immature, brainless, HEARTLESS homophobes.

Those poor people. I hope they'll be okay.

[Cherry Dynamite]

Y'know what? If God/Jesus/Whoever is chillin' up in the clouds, THEY WOULD NOT BE GAY. And love knows no age, nor gender. Don't like gay people, stay away from them. Why would it bother you if you were far away from them? Honestly... Don't like gay marriage? Don't get a gay marriage and STFU. I hate stupid, immature, brainless, HEARTLESS homophobes.

Those poor people. I hope they'll be okay.

They're not brainless or heartless. Stupid... Eh.

Homosexuality is just not a part of their culture. They don't believe that homosexuals will help their culture - and my guess would be because they can't produce children (not that Africa needs any more children...)

Their treatment of homosexuals is wrong, but you can't completely hate on them. It's Africa. How things work there and work here are different. To them, you can't just 'ignore' or stay away from gays.

[choji_001]

there really isn't anyreason to inprison people for love. that is just wrong. I really don't care what your sexuality, a life without love is a cold an miserable existance.

[simael]

sigh.... so what they're just gonna imprison anyone who's gay?
or deport them an dnot let then get into Africa?
Man, unopen-minded people are really macabre!
They should be the ones who are imprisoned. not the couple.

[papapapuffy]

And now I'm upset. >> Why are their idiots like that out there, stop trying to ruin other people lives! They gayness has nothing to do with you!

[Asteria Euphrasia]

Gift Trapence, executive director of the Centre for the Development of People, was at the court house Thursday and told reporters: "How can they get 14 years simply for loving one another? Even if they are jailed for 20 years you can't change their sexuality." <----

This really sums up what I was going to say in response to this. I mean, hundreds of years ago their culture found it more okay for two guys an two girls to be together than a man and a woman. It IS NOT a part of their culture today, however it WAS a part some hundreds of years ago. Then white settlers came and "re-taught" them. Which, in turn, made them less okay with gay people than America is today.

This generally makes me think, "Now, if America wasn't a 'land of the free for all' (eh, questionable) then would gays be treated the same as they are in Africa?" I will never know the answer (hopefully) because if America starts doing this it would strictly be against the constitution. But, really, would this happen if Americans were given the choice some hundred years ago?

It's disgusting to think of this, but it could have happened.

I just want to say...if they change the sentence to 'deportation' then they could be deported to a country where it's okay. This is the first i've heard of this happening so it's most likely not a common occurance.

[Cherry Dynamite]

Gift Trapence, executive director of the Centre for the Development of People, was at the court house Thursday and told reporters: "How can they get 14 years simply for loving one another? Even if they are jailed for 20 years you can't change their sexuality." <----

This really sums up what I was going to say in response to this. I mean, hundreds of years ago their culture found it more okay for two guys an two girls to be together than a man and a woman. It IS NOT a part of their culture today, however it WAS a part some hundreds of years ago. Then white settlers came and "re-taught" them. Which, in turn, made them less okay with gay people than America is today.

This generally makes me think, "Now, if America wasn't a 'land of the free for all' (eh, questionable) then would gays be treated the same as they are in Africa?" I will never know the answer (hopefully) because if America starts doing this it would strictly be against the constitution. But, really, would this happen if Americans were given the choice some hundred years ago?

It's disgusting to think of this, but it could have happened.

I just want to say...if they change the sentence to 'deportation' then they could be deported to a country where it's okay. This is the first i've heard of this happening so it's most likely not a common occurance.

<3

Izzy, I love you~