By Melanie Nathan, July 03, 2014.After over a year of unjust postponements, bail refusals and time spent in jail, waiting for trial, a Zambian magistrate has finally acquitted two men charged with having sexual relations “against the order of nature.” The two men were arrested after being reported to the police by one of Mubiana’s […]
Case Against Zambians Accused of Homosexuality Postponed Yet Again
The fault of indisposed Magistrate By Melanie Nathan, June 25, 2014. Philip Mubiana, a hair dresser, and his alleged partner James Mwape, a brick-layer, have been held without bail in Zambia for well over a year, while their case has been stalled at the dilatory hand of the State. How many times can a magistrate […]
Zambian men still in jail while homosexuality case delayed
By Melanie Nathan, June 02, 2014. Two men of Kapiri Mposhi appeared in court, yet again, for allegedly practicing homosexuality. The case which has taken well over a year, should have been concluded on Friday with a judgment from the magistrate. Instead he was unavailable and the Court heard that he was unprepared to issue […]
Where is Outrage as Zambian Judge Orders Gay Activist Trial to Proceed
I AM WONDERING when we are going to hear more about this travesty from international activists. Has Russia put us to sleep on Africa? Usurping all our outrage for the human right infractions against LGBT people in Africa? By Melanie Nathan, September 13, 2013. The Lusaka High Court has ruled that trial should commence in […]
Zambian Gay Trial Continues as Medical Sodomy Witnesses Fail to Testify
Human Rights Infractions Threaten Lives of Two 21 year old Men Perceived as Gay Couple By Melanie Nathan, September 01, 2013. For almost five months, two young men have been languishing in an overcrowded and disease ridden Zambian jail, and while a Magistrate keeps them incarcerated with little evidence to an alleged crime, witnesses fail […]
Public Booted from Trial of Accused Zambian Gay Couple
Inaccurate media reports could be exacerbated by privacy of trial, while Magistrate ‘s call for closed trial may evidence prejudice during time when Zambian Government calls to hunt down gays, By Melanie Nathan, June 11, 2013. Please note update (6/12/) below, where Magistrate denies trial is being heard in camera and accuses a Reporter of […]
Zambian High Court to hear Freedom of Expression challenge after call to hunt down homosexuals arrest
It is believed that Kasonkomona was specifically targeted amidst the Zambian government’s call to “hunt down homosexuals” By Cathy Kristofferson, June 05, 2013 The court case of Zambian Paul Kasonkomona which we have reported on here on OBLOGDEE was today transferred to that country’s High Court for the constitutional challenge Kasonkomona and his defense are seeking. […]
Zambian activist’s constitutional challenge to homophobic arrest and charges
This Case could have a huge impact on how Gay people’s rights are impacted in Zambia By Melanie Nathan, May 15, 2013. When Zambian Paul Kasonkomona was arrested and detained some minutes after he spoke on a TV show it was clear to many that a flagrant abuse of personal freedoms had occurred and now […]
Activist’s challenge to Zambia’s Constitution after “hunt down gays” arrest
By Melanie Nathan, May 15, 2013. Today Kasonkomona appeared before the Hon Lemeck Ngambi at Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, charged with “the idle and disorderly offence of soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes.” SBN Legal Practitioners, representing Kasonkomona, filed a constitutional application and so with regard to the criminal case against him, are asking […]
Zambia and Ethiopia are the ‘next Uganda’
Anti-gay sentiment increases after the export of more Western Evangelical hate By Cathy Kristofferson Zambia and Ethiopia appear poised to be the next ‘Kill the Gays’ countries. Is that really something nations should aspire to? Melanie Nathan has documented the current struggles in Zambia here on OBLOGDEE , from the arrest of HIV/AIDS rights activist […]
Defiant Zambian Home Affairs Minister Compares Gays to Dogs
By Melanie Nathan, May 10, 2013. Responding to Amnesty International’s call for the release of two young Zambian men detained in deplorable conditions, accused of sodomy as being “against the order of nature,” and for being a gay couple, the Zambian Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Nixson Chilangwa, has defiantly indicated that Zambia will not abide […]
Zambia detains alleged gay couple in deplorable conditions
Source fears for their lives as they face stiff sentences By Melanie Nathan, May 08, 2013. Police in Kapiri Mposhi have revoked police bond for two men arrested over the weekend for engaging in homosexuality after they were found in the act again, according to reports out of Zambia. ZANIS reports that Central Province Commissioner […]
Zambia gay arrests | force medical tests for sodomy on 2 men accused of gay marriage
By Melanie Nathan, May 06, 2013. 5/7 Update: Today the couple has been re-arrested, now denied bail, and more charges added following another tip off from relatives. We wrote recently about the police hunting for “homosexuals” in Zambia. Well its seems as if neighborhoods have joined in the cry to hunt out homosexuals and turn […]
Zambian Justice Minister seeks to justify persecution of gays
By Melanie Nathan, April 22, 2013. After the recent reports about anti-gay surge in Zambia with the unlawful detention of a well known HIV/AIDS activist, Paul Kasonkomona, after he was picked up for speaking about LGBT issues on a radio show, and the further reports that gay Zambians have gone into a hiding due to […]
Zambia doubles-down with threats to ‘stiffen laws against homosexuality’
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 13, 2013 Very early this morning (7am BST) HIV/Aids activist Paul Kasonkomona was to speak on the Crossfire BlogRadio program about his recent arrest for advocating for gay rights. Due to legal issues surrounding his going on the radio similar to the TV appearance which sparked his arrest, along with death […]
Zambian gay rights activist released on bail
By Melanie Nathan, April 12, 2013. Gay rights activist Paul Kasonkomona pleaded not guilty in a Zambian court yesterday to charges of “idle and disorderly conduct by inciting the public to engage in idle and disorderly conduct by promoting illicit activities” and was released on Kr5,000 bail ($1,000USD) Kasonkomona who was picked up and detained […]
Outrage at detention of Zambian gay human rights defender
“My sisters and brothers, Jesus calls us to love even our enemies. Demeaning the humanity of another person is not a virtue but a vice. You don’t need reminding that the first step to genocide is demeaning your opponents’ humanity.” Reverend Kapya Kaoma By Melanie Nathan, April 10, 2013. This week we reported the detention […]
Zambian Police Hunting Homosexuals and Arrest HIV/AIDS Activist
Zambia – LGBTI Community under attack as scapegoats- as government discusses contentious issues in the draft constitution… By Melanie Nathan, April 09, 2013. This evening, prominent HIV/Aids activist Paul Kasonkomona was picked up from Muvi TV station in Lusaka’s mass media area by Woodlands police for questioning after his appearance on a live program called […]
Zambia to Welcome Gay Rights
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon says he knows that the Government of Zambia has formed a principled position in promoting and respecting the human rights of all, regardless of age, religion or sexual orientation, in line with the fundamental principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which Zambia is a signatory.
Gay Zambia | Constitutional Recognition of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation
by Charles Zambia, Guest Writer “Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in Zambia live in constant fear of detention, discrimination in education, employment, housing, and access to services, and extortion – all buttressed by the existence of sections 155 – 157 of the Penal Code and the lack of specific legal protections for LGBT people under Zambian […]
African HRC Reflects on LGBTI 2014
As an LGBTI Global Minority – We are one. By Melanie Nathan, December 29, 2014 As LGBTI people, we are member of a global minority, and we all have a responsibility toward each other, regardless of who we are or where we come from. Here is a brief look at this past year’s state of […]
The i in LGBTi and a Wake up Call to USA LGBTQ Advocates
I have never understood why we in the USA fail this sector of the community | Does the Taboo persist in America? By Melanie Nathan, Oct 10, 2014. Americans may wonder why African human rights defenders refer to the LGBT community as the LGBTI community. Whenever I write ‘LGBT’ – for the most part always […]
Boksburg Communiqué Report on SRHR and HIV/AIDS Services for Key Populations In ESA
By Melanie Nathan, September 23, 2014. I participated in this forum back in May, in South Africa, as a panel speaker with Justice Edwin Cameron, on the issue of homophobia in Africa and its impact on key populations, and was also panel chair. Here is, with thanks to SAfAIDS, the Boksburg Communiqué on the Tweet@ble […]
From Pride to Pride
By Melanie Nathan, July 03, 2014. Community Grand Marshal for San Francisco Pride I had the great honor this year of being appointed by the San Francisco Pride Board as a community Grand Marshal. The popular vote was won by an extraordinary and courageous young woman who I took great joy in getting to know, […]
Denied by Ambassador Exiled Ugandans Reflect
I call upon all those than still have some humanity in them to rise up and fight for all marginalized LGBT people across the world.” VictorMukasa,Feb 5 2014 By Cathy Kristofferson, February 6, 2014 Tuesday the Kuchu Diaspora Alliance(KDA) protested in front of the D.C. Ugandan Embassy against the recently passed Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB) along with […]
Corrective Rape Petition Chaos for South African Authorities
Corrective Rape Petition Causes Chaos for South African Authorities The petition “South Africa Declare Corrective Rape a Hate-Crime” hit the all-time high of 135,000 signatureson 4 January, 2011 – what a way to begin the New Year! The petition is still up and still growing – it is currently standing on a 135, 235… and still growing […]
Boston Pride Speaks LGBT Asylum
Marching for LGBT Asylum | “It is illegal to be gay in 80 countries…“ By Cathy Kristofferson, June 09, 2013 I’m pretty sure last year I whined that I was never marching in Boston’s Gay Pride parade again because of the appalling corporatization. And then last week I heard that the amazing LGBT Asylum Support Task […]
Uganda Prepares for Its Second Gay Pride
Despite all odds, the fearless continue …. and the least we can do as an international community is support this imperative statement… By Melanie Nathan, June 04, 2013. Last year, despite the climate of fervent anti-gay hostility, Ugandan volunteer LGBT activists accomplished what seemed impossible – they launched the first every Gay Pride celebration in […]
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