Good news out of Africa: Zambian gay rights campaigner acquitted in landmark case

A prominent gay rights activist in Zambia has been acquitted over charges of promoting homosexuality.

Paul Kasonkomona was arrested in May last year following a live television appearance in which he argued for same-sex relationships to be decriminalised as it would help in the fight against HIV.

He was charged with “soliciting for immoral purposes”.

His trial was delayed several times and Mr Kasonkomona’s lawyers always disputed the charges.

On Tuesday a magistrate found that the state of Zambia had failed to prove its case.

“The magistrate was clear: public discussion is important,” Anneke Meerkotter – a lawyer at the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, which campaigned for Mr Kasonkomona – told AFP news agency.

“This is a great victory for freedom of expression. The mood in court was one of great relief. Kasonkomona did not deserve to be arrested for expressing his opinion and the court ruling vindicates his rights.”

The ruling comes a day after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni approved his country’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, provoking international condemnation.

Mr Kasonkomona told AFP his acquittal was a “landmark judgment” and vowed to continue to speak out “for the rights of all Zambians”.

During the trial Mr Kasonkomona alleged that police delayed access to his HIV medication in custody and that their actions put his life at risk.

Sentences of 14 years can be issued for those convicted of same-sex sexual activity in Zambia.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/02/25/good-news-africa-zambian-gay-rights-campaigner-acquitted-landmark-case/

  ....Worried about foreign aid though?   

Maybe it's time to be more RW. And cut foreign aid to these savage black countries

eh crazy???

smelly_bandit wrote:Maybe it's time to be more RW. And cut foreign aid to these savage black countries

eh crazy???

Nope.

They aren't all the same, so i would disagree with the withdrawal of all foreign aid, i would agree with a more targeted response, by giving the money to the charities on the ground.

The aid should be cut though, i would agree with that, eh racist and homophobic  :::hitler: 

Catman wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:Maybe it's time to be more RW. And cut foreign aid to these savage black countries

eh crazy???

Nope.

They aren't all the same, so i would disagree with the withdrawal of all foreign aid, i would agree with a more targeted response, by giving the money to the charities on the ground.

The aid should be cut though, i would agree with that, eh racist and homophobic  :::hitler: 

so you agree to taking aid away from poor starving little African children??



look them in the eye and tell them your lifestyle choice is more important than their lifestyle choice

monster

smelly_bandit wrote:

Catman wrote:

Nope.

They aren't all the same, so i would disagree with the withdrawal of all foreign aid, i would agree with a more targeted response, by giving the money to the charities on the ground.

The aid should be cut though, i would agree with that, eh racist and homophobic  :::hitler: 

so you agree to taking aid away from poor starving little African children??



look them in the eye and tell them your lifestyle choice is more important than their lifestyle choice  

monster

Someone should have smashed that test tube that you were spawned from.

wow yeah for gay rights, now try and feed their people with the money they wasted on a landmark case...  

Catman wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

so you agree to taking aid away from poor starving little African children??



look them in the eye and tell them your lifestyle choice is more important than their lifestyle choice  

monster

Someone should have smashed that test tube that you were spawned from.

you're the one advocating stealing foreign aid from their begging outstretched hands

what a racist you are