Namibia Repeals Law Qwhich criminalizes homosexuals

A colonial-era law that criminalized same-sex relationships in Namibia was overturned today by a court in the capital, Windhoek, a decision welcomed by the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community.

"The crime of sodomy is declared unconstitutional and invalid", like this "the crimes of unnatural sex“, stated the high court of the Namibian capital.

“We are not convinced that, in a democratic society such as ours, it is reasonably justifiable to consider an activity as criminal simply because the citizens, perhaps the majority, do not accept it.”

The court judges considered that the sodomy law, which prohibits sexual relations between homosexuals in Namibia, dates back to 1927, when the country was under South African rule. It was not changed after the country's independence in 1990, but it has rarely been enforced.

The London-based Human Dignity Trust welcomed the decision as “History“The United Nations HIV/AIDS program, UNAIDS, also welcomed the decision as a “significant victory” and a “fundamental step towards a more inclusive Namibia".

This issue was brought to court following a complaint by Friedel Dausab.

“I no longer feel like a criminal in my own country, simply because of who I am,” Dausab said.

The decision by the Namibian court, a country that borders Angola, comes amid growing intolerance toward LGBTQ+ rights in Southern Africa.

Only a few African states have decriminalized same-sex relationships, and South Africa is the only country on the continent where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2006.

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