Gay Malawian Couple Pardoned

Voice of America is reporting the very good news that the gay couple in Malawi, previously sentences to 14 years of hard labor each, has been released.  Here's an abridged version of the report:

Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika’s weekend pardon of a homosexual couple recently convicted for holding a public betrothal ceremony has drawn praise from U.S. President Barack Obama, and from Britain and a Malawian gay rights group.  U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who was visiting Malawi at the time of the reprieve, called Sunday’s release of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga from prison a courageous decision.

Journalist Watipaso Mzungu of the Malawi Daily Times newspaper said Malawians’ reactions have been mixed.  And, he said President Mutharika’s decision continues to raise a lingering question in a country that imposes stiff bans on homosexual behavior.

Two weeks ago, a Malawian judge convicted Monjeza (photo: left, back) and Chimbalanga (right, front) of unnatural acts and sentenced them to 14 years in prison.  The sentence has drawn criticism from governments and human rights groups.  It has also sparked debate about activities by other African governments that are attempting to toughen penalties against homosexuality, which is illegal in 38 of Africa’s 53 states.

Mzungu, a Blantyre-based journalist, noted that traditional religious group opposition to the legalization of homosexual unions remains very strong in Malawi, a predominantly (80%) Christian country.  He said there are signs that President Mutharika, while signaling that he is not overturning state law, is clearly acceding to demands of the international community.

Despite the international attention, he said Mr. Mutharika’s own political fate is not being threatened and that his critics will try to reach a common understanding for the benefit of the country’s development needs until the next election cycle in 2014.

Journalist Mzungu said the country’s Minister of Gender and Child Welfare has told state media in Malawi that, “if the two guys go home and begin staying together, they are going to be rearrested.”

Mzungu said it is his clear understanding that President Mutharika is not trying to overturn the law, but is simply trying to find a way out of Malawi’s current clash with international human rights advocates, while signaling that violators of the current laws still face punishment.

“The president did emphasize that he did it (the pardon) on humanitarian grounds.  Therefore, it is an expectation that the two guys will not get married again unless they want to face another jail term,” he noted.

With charges dropped against them, Monjeza and Chimbalanga still have the option of leaving Malawi.