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Gabon has turn into one of many first nations in sub-Saharan Africa to decriminalize homosexuality … properly, nearly.

On Wednesday the Gabonese Nationwide Meeting (decrease home of parliament) voted down a regulation that prohibited the sexual relations of {couples} of the identical intercourse, which had been adopted solely final July.

After a number of hours of debate, 48 members of parliament voted in favour of decriminalization. 24 voted in opposition to and 25 abstained.

The opposition contested the vote, which it claimed didn’t have an absolute majority.

“Forty-eight lawmakers have shaken a whole nation and its customs and traditions,” stated a hostile lawmaker, who known as for a second vote.

The Senate nonetheless has to vote on the textual content – introduced by the Prime Minister – earlier than it might probably come into impact which was anticipated late this week.

Prime Minister Julien Nkoghe Bekale, who initiated the invoice, stated he had non secular convictions, tolerance and respect for human life.

“As I’m in opposition to the loss of life penalty, I’m additionally in opposition to the stigmatisation of homosexuals. Congratulations to the parliamentarians for having modified mentalities and with the ability to adapt to the occasions,” he tweeted on Wednesday.

In contrast to many neighbouring nations the place legal guidelines inherited from colonization severely punish same-sex relationships, Gabon, since 1960, has not prohibited homosexuality.

In December 2013, the celebration of an unofficial marriage aroused very hostile reactions. Six folks have been arrested for “contempt of morality”. An Afrobarometer research carried out in 2015 indicated that “greater than Eight in 10 Gabonese (83%) don’t wished to have a gay as a neighbor”.

In July 2019, Parliament, due to this fact, handed a regulation – included into the Legal Code in October – which gives that same-sex relationships can now be sentenced to as much as six months in jail in addition to a effective of 5 million FCFA ($8,715 USD). Homosexuality continues to be extensively thought to be taboo and marriage stays prohibited.

In accordance with the most recent report from the Worldwide Affiliation of Lesbian, Homosexual, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Folks (Ilga), 70 nations (together with Gabon) nonetheless penalize homosexuality, together with 32 in Africa. Six nations even impose the loss of life penalty, and in 5, it’s technically doable.

Lately, Bostwana, Angola, Mozambique and the Seychelles have approved gay relations. However in Chad, Nigeria and Burundi, LGBTphobic legal guidelines have been strengthened.

Final Up to date on Jun 26, 2020 at 4:32 pm