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WORLD NEWS Saturday 25 May 2019

Kenyan court upholds laws criminalizing same-sex relations

By TOM ODULA tation among people of
KHALED KAZZIHA the same sex, where they
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ke- would ostensibly be able to
nya's High Court on Friday have same-sex intercourse,
upheld sections of the pe- would indirectly open the
nal code that criminalize door for (marriage) of peo-
same-sex relations, a disap- ple of the same sex," said
pointment for gay rights ac- the judgment read in part
tivists across Africa where by Justice Roselyn Aburili.
dozens of countries have Reaction was swift.
similar laws. "These old colonial laws
The judges' unanimous rul- lead to the LGBT com-
ing in the closely watched munity suffering violence,
case was followed by activ- blackmail, harassment and
ists' vows to appeal. Many torture. They devastate
in Kenya's vibrant gay people's lives and have
community had hoped the no place in a democratic
court would make history Kenyan society," the Nai-
by scrapping the British co- robi-based National Gay
lonial-era laws and inspiring & Lesbian Human Rights
other countries in Africa to Commission said after the
do the same. decision was announced.
Activists argue that the Lawyer Paul Muite for the
laws criminalizing consen- An activist supporting the LGBT community, wearing a rainbow flag, walks past a gathering of commission, the main peti-
Christians opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality, after a ruling by the High Court in
sual same-sex relations be- Nairobi, Kenya Friday, May 24, 2019. tioner in the case, said they
tween adults are in breach Associated Press would appeal.
of the constitution because At least half of Kenya's LGBT
they deny basic rights. The on for people convicted of always enforced, activists lated their right to health, persons in Kenya have suf-
state should not regulate homosexual acts. Another say. "The issue is violence, dignity and privacy and fered physical and verbal
intimacy between gay says "indecent practices discrimination and oppres- said the laws do not single assault, the commission
couples, they say. between males" can bring sion," one activist, Tirop out gay people. Kenya has says. Most assaults are not
One law punishes "carnal up to five years in prison. Salat, said. no social pressure to legal- reported because people
knowledge against the The laws create an environ- The judges, however, said ize homosexuality, they don't have confidence
order of nature" and pre- ment of fear and harass- the petitioners had failed added. that police will protect
scribes up to 14 years in pris- ment even if they are not to prove how the laws vio- "Acknowledging cohabi- them, activists say.q

HK leader protests over German asylum for dissidents

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong mined Hong Kong's inter- Kong asylum last year.
Kong's leader summoned national reputation in the Wong and Li are the only
the German consul on Fri- rule of law and judicial in- dissidents known to have
day to complain about dependence." Lam asked been in Germany seeking
Germany granting political David Schmidt to convey protection. Wong told the
asylum to two Hong Kong "deep regrets and strong Journal he chose to reveal
political activists, in a rare objections" to the German his asylum status now in re-
case of diplomatic inter- authorities. sponse to a proposed Hong
vention by the government In interviews with The Wall Kong law that would allow
of the semi-autonomous Street Journal and Finan- criminal suspects to be
Chinese territory. cial Times published on handed over to mainland
Carrie Lam called the pair Wednesday, Ray Wong Toi China where they would
bail jumpers who were fac- Yeung said he and fellow likely not receive a fair trial.
ing charges including riot- pro-democracy protest- That law is seen as part of
ing and assaulting police er Alan Li Tung Sing were a drive by Beijing to rein in
over a violent incident in granted asylum last year. Hong Kong's freedoms, en- Pro-China protesters hold pictures of Hong Kong activists Ray
February 2016. Germany's Interior Ministry dangering its independent Wong Toi-yeung, right, and Alan Li Tung-sing during a demon-
She said Hong Kong courts would not give names due legal system which it was stration near the German Consulate General Consulate in Hong
would have granted the to privacy regulations, but granted for 50 years after Kong to against Germany in granting a refugee status for the
two a fair trial and Germa- confirmed it had granted its 1997 handover from Brit- Hong Kong activists, Thursday, May 23, 2019. Associated Press
ny had "unjustifiably under- two people from Hong ish rule.q