MALAWI: Malawi gay couple sentenced to 14 years in jail with hard labour

Record ID: 276917

  • Title: MALAWI: Malawi gay couple sentenced to 14 years in jail with hard labour
  • Date: 21st May 2010
  • Summary: BLANTYRE, MALAWI (MAY 20, 2010) (REUTERS) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) RIOT POLICE OUTSIDE THE MAGISTRATE COURT IN BLANTYRE VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS OUTSIDE THE COURT VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE AT THE MAIN COURT ROOM ENTRANCE VARIOUS JUDGE PASSING THE SENTENCE MORE OF SPECTATORS PEEPING THROUGH THE COURT ROOM WINDOW VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE MANNING THE MAIN COURT ROOM ENTRANCE WITH GAY C
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malawi
  • Country: Malawi
  • Reuters ID: LVACBLDX7RCUXBZDHZ65J1SMZZ7Q
  • Story Text: Malawi gay couple gets 14 years in jail, with hard labour. Courtroom packed, with hundreds more outside and armed riot police closing roads nearby.
    A Malawi gay couple have been sentenced to 14 years each in jail on Thursday after being found guilty of sodomy and indecency earlier this week in a trial viewed as a test case for gay rights in the country.
    The couple, Steven Monjeza, 26, and 20-year-old Tiwonge Chimbalanga, were arrested after they got engaged in a traditional ceremony in late December.
    Major donors to aid-dependent Malawi have condemned what they called the abuse of human rights in the southern African nation, particularly a crackdown on gay rights, and warned that abuses could affect budget support.
    Local residents who attended the court session said they were shocked by the severity of the sentence.
    "People should not be imprisoned just because of their sexual orientation. I think we are going against human rights. This is unfair to me," said Danka Kambale.
    Rights group Amnesty International have called for the immediate and unconditional release of the couple, saying their human rights have been flagrantly violated.
    Regional legal groups which have been following the case closely, said there should be more awareness and tolerance in the country.
    "Malawi may yet not be ready for that to be open on homosexuality. My point runs deeper than that, my point is that Malawians need to discuss this issue. Malawians should be able to have an understanding of what your sexual identity is because for many men who are homosexuals, the sexual identity is a huge part of who they are," said Richard Bridgen from the Southern Africa Litigation Center.
    However, most of the people were in agreement that he sentence was too harsh.
    "For me personally, 14 years seems a bit harsh for two men who have harmed no one else," added Bridgen.
    Homosexuality in Africa has become a contentious issue in recent months after a Ugandan lawmaker proposed a bill including the death penalty for some acts, the arrest of the Malawian couple, and a police raid on a gay wedding in Kenya earlier this year.
    Dozens of people packed the court to hear the sentencing. Police closed roads around the building and a nearby bank was closed as more than a thousand people descended on the court.
    Others thought the sentence would be a good deterrence.
    "The sentence is very welcome. The 14 years is good for them to learn a lesson. In fact I am asking prison officials to separate them while in jail because they may continue doing it right there," said Rosemary Mkwangala.
    Tiwonge was calm as the judge pronounced the sentence, which includes hard labour, but Monjeza was visibly shaking at the prospect of going to jail. Police whisked the two away in armed vehicles shortly after sentencing.
    Mauya Msuku, the couple's lawyer said he would appeal against the ruling pending a consultation with his clients.
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