Category: Southern Africa
Zambia frees gay couple serving 15-year sentence
Zambia has freed two men who since 2018 have been serving a 15-year prison sentence for same-sex intimacy. From the African Human Rights Me [...]
Activists fear for safety of 2 arrested Malawi dissidents
Human rights defenders fear for the safety of two prominent political dissidents and LGBTQ rights activists who were arrested March 8 for opposing Pre [...]
Zambian women march for LGBT rights as well as women’s rights
LGBT rights, women's rights and other progressive causes were the focus of last weekend's Women's March 2020 in the Zambian capital. From t [...]
Report: U.S. recalls envoy who opposed prison term for gay Zambians
The United States has quietly recalled its ambassador to Zambia after President Edgar Lungu loudly declared him unwelcome in Zambia for protesting the [...]
Zambia demands removal of U.S. envoy for protesting anti-gay prison sentences
The president of Zambia wants the U.S. to recall its Zambian ambassador because he supports the human rights of homosexuals. From the African [...]
Is Zambia ready for a gay pride march?
Behind Zambian politicians' loud public denunciations of homosexuality, the country is showing signs of tolerance of LGBT people. Some say it's even r [...]
Why is Zambian couple in prison? Because of King Henry VIII
Zambian politicians claim that Christian values are the basis for 15-year prison sentences imposed on a gay couple who were spotted having sex in a pr [...]
U.S. envoy to Zambia: Act like Jesus, not like bigots, if you’re a Christian nation
Zambian officials should stop lying about their relationship with the United States and should act like leaders of the Christian nation they claim to [...]
Zambia blasts U.S. envoy who protested 15-year sentence for gay couple
The government of Zambia plans to file an official protest against U.S. ambassador Daniel Foote for criticizing the 15-year prison sentences that a Za [...]
Zambia: 15-year prison sentences ‘shocked the world’
The 15-year prison sentences imposed this week on a gay Zambian couple are a shocking miscarriage of justice, African gay-rights activists declare. Th [...]
Zambian men sentenced to 15 years for gay sex
A high court in Zambia has sentenced two men to 15 years in prison for gay sex. From the African Human Rights Media Network The me [...]
Zambia must shun the anti-gay politics of disgust
Zambia's president has made homosexuality a campaign issue to distract attention from the fact that his people are starving, millions are living in po [...]
Zambia: Motion banning pro-LGBT parties fails on technicality
A Zambian member of parliament failed in an attempt to ban political parties that favor LGBT rights. The motion targeted the opposition UPND party, wh [...]
Photos: South African gay actor Somizi Mhlongo marries his boyfriend
The Internet went wild in Africa after gay South African celebrity TV personality Somizi Buyani Mhlongo shared photos of his wedding on social media. [...]
More homosexuality arrests in Zambia
Zambian police last week arrested another couple on homosexuality charges. From the African Human Rights Media Network This time, [...]
Zambian farmer, youth in court on gay sex charges
A 53-year-old Zambian farmer and a 17-year-old student appeared in court in Lusaka yesterday, accused of violating Zambia's anti-homosexuality laws. [...]
Malawi: Court releases 2 arrested activists
A Malawi court released LGBTI rights activists Gift Trapence and MacDonald Sembeleka on bail Friday, three days after their arrest on fraud charges co [...]
U.N. says ‘Sorry! Please release Malawi activists’
Apologetic U.N. officials have joined international calls for the release of two LGBT rights activists in Malawi who helped organize protests alleging [...]
Malawi police arrest 2 prominent LGBT rights activists
Police in Malawi have arrested Gift Trapence, the leader of the country's main LGBTI rights organization, the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) [...]
Trans woman’s naked protest roils Zambia
A Zambian trans woman stripped herself naked and walked along a busy public road yesterday in protest against her family's and Zambian society's mistr [...]
Botswana wants to make gay sex illegal again
The government of Botswana isn't happy with its status as the latest African country to legalize same-sex intimacy. On Friday, it announced it will ap [...]
Zambian hypocrisy: Fighting ‘gayism’; accepting rape and corruption
Commentary by the Rev. Kapya Kaoma exposes the hypocrisy of Zambian politicians' anti-gay posturing: "It is time we accepted that politicians have use [...]
Zambia bars performance by gay S. African celebrity
The Zambian government has barred Somizi Buyani Mhlongo, a gay South African TV presenter, actor and singer, from performing in Zambia. Fro [...]
Botswana: Another country strikes down its anti-gay laws
Botswana today overturned its colonial-era laws that made homosexuality a crime punishable by seven years in prison. From the African Human R [...]
S. Africa rejects Zambia refugee for saying he’s both gay and Christian
A young Zambian gay man has been denied refugee status in South Africa by authorities who claim that he cannot be both Christian and gay. From [...]
Botswana court hears reasons to overturn anti-gay law
Botswana's High Court heard arguments Thursday for and against overturning the nation's anti-gay law. It scheduled its ruling in the case for June 11. [...]
New online help for LGBT asylum-seekers in South Africa
Gateway Health Institute, a South African human rights organization, has launched an online platform to help LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees access [...]
Trump official’s push for gay rights focuses on Iran, not Africa
The 33 African nations with anti-gay laws seem to be a side issue for U.S. ambassador Richard Grenell, who has announced a worldwide campaign against [...]
Angola’s neighbors may copy its repeal of anti-gay law
Angola's repeal of its anti-gay law last month could lead to the repeal of all remaining anti-homosexuality laws in southern Africa, an international [...]
Male singer in a dress? Zambia freaks out, cracks down
Flamboyant attire and provocative behavior on a Zambian reality TV show caught the eye of the country's religious affairs minister, who declared that [...]
Angola: Another African nation drops colonial masters’ anti-gay law
Another African country has turned away from the homophobic laws originally imposed by European colonial powers. On Jan. 23, the former Portuguese col [...]
Botswana president speaks up for LGBTI rights
There is new hope for LGBTI persons in Botswana because the new president of Botswana is advocating for LGBTI rights. From the African Human Ri [...]
2019 goal: Eliminate two more countries’ anti-gay laws
Botswana and Kenya will be the next two countries to overturn their anti-gay laws, if court challenges there succeed. From the African Huma [...]
Botswana activists deplore anti-trans attack
In Botswana, LGBTI activist group Legabibo condemned the brutal anti-trans attack on a trans woman who was publicly beaten while onlookers laughed an [...]
Being intersex is normal, says Zimbabwean activist
Society needs to shed its ignorance of intersex people, says Tatenda Ngwaru, a Zimbabwean intersex and trans activist currently working in the United [...]
LGBT dance artist steps forward in Botswana
In a groundbreaking solo show, Botswana-based dancer Lesh Maseng broke open the taboo on public representations of queer sexuality. He also brought a [...]
Why is Zambian couple in jail? Because of King Henry VIII
"Is it not time we accepted that some people are gay and that no law will stop them from falling in love with people of the same gender?" asks Zambian [...]
Zambian court convicts two men for gay sex
On Aug. 3, a court in Zambia convicted two men of engaging in homosexual activity. Under Zambian law, they could be sentenced to prison for 15 years t [...]
‘Join us at the first-ever Pride celebration in Swaziland’
LGBT activists in Swaziland are planning the country's first-ever Pride celebration this month, seeking an end to the country's homophobia and its law [...]
Challenge to Botswana anti-gay law is ready; court isn’t
LGBT rights advocates in Botswana are preparing to challenge the country's law against same-sex intimacy, but the court system in Botswana isn't quite [...]
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