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(NYASATIMES) Editorial: Free gay couple, stop persecution of rights defenders

Editorial: Free gay couple, stop persecution of rights defenders
By Nyasa Times
Published: January 6, 2010

The Nyasa Times editorial team is dismayed at the persecution of people who freely express their sexual orientation and practice it in privacy among themselves with each others’ consent.

The arrest of two men; Steven Monjeza (26) and Tiwonge Chimbalanga (20) because they celebrated their engagement is regrettable. As legal experts have outlined, the Malawi Constitution does not allow discrimination based, among other things, on sexual orientation even if other archaic laws prohibit homosexuality.

The debate on homosexuality is not new in Malawi. Secretary for Nutrition and HIV/Aids in the Office of President and Cabinet, Dr Mary Shaba, is on record as saying that there are many gays in Malawi and some among them are married to people of the opposite sex.

She even told an Aids conference that the fight against HIV/AIDS will not be successful if the country continued to ignore the fact that there are gays in Malawi.

Malawians should be free to express their sexual orientation freely. That’s human rights. They should have a choice to be gay, bi-sexual or straight as long as they practice their sexuality in privacy, among fellow adults and with consent.

Moreover, denying bail to the gay couple is a perversity of justice when people accused of serious violent crimes such as armed robbery, treason and assault usually get bail.

Nyasa Times also condemns the state for forcing the gay couple to have medical tests to prove whether they had intercourse without their consent. This is an unlawful invasion of their privacy.

Police brutality and torture in cells is also condemned. We are dismayed by reports that the state has detained a human rights campaigner on false porn charges because he supports gay rights. Nyasa Times is calling on the government to realize that homosexuality is in our midst.

In support of the pair who are suffering persecution for celebrating their same-sex union, we are urging all people who share our views to join the Malawi Defence Campaign and make a donation to support the jailed men.

For this purpose, post a cheque payable to “OutRage!”, P.O. Box 17816, London SW14 8WT. Enclose a note giving your name and address and stating that your donation is for the Malawi Defence Campaign.

OutRage! will pass all money so donated to the gay-couple’s legal defense team in Malawi to help pay for their legal expenses.

Labels: HOMOSEXUALITY, MALAWI

posted by MrK @ 4:42 PM