Malawi court to decide: Is it hate speech to say 'kill the gays'?
A prominent Malawi politician is due in court this week for a ruling on whether he will face a hate-speech trial for stating that homosexuals have no rights and should be killed.
UPDATE:
The Nation reports on Jan. 20 that Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda heard the case on Jan. 19, as planned, and then said he will announce his decision at an unspecified future date.
Nyasa Times reported on Jan. 16:
Msonda’s ‘kill gays’ case back in Malawi High Court
January 16, 2017 — Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politician Ken Msonda will this Thursday be in High Court to hear the determination of Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda on whether his case of “kill homosexuals” remarks he made on his Facebook page should be heard as a constitutional case.
Two leading activists on minority rights – Gift Trapence and Timothy Mtambo – applied to court for judicial review after Director of Public Prosecution had discontinued the matter.
The two exhibited to the court the Facebook post and a transcript of a radio interview with Joy Radio in which Msonda repeatedly said homosexuals had no rights in Malawi and they deserve to be killed. …
After Msonda’s post on the social media Facebook, Malawi Law Society (MLS) issued a statement that demanded investigation by authorities on the remarks he made.
For more information, read the full Nyasa Times article, “Msonda’s ‘kill gays’ case back in Malawi High Court.”
Related news:
- Malawi debates its anti-LGBTI law, still on hold (December 2016, 76crimes.com)
- Malawi: Judge seeks renewed gay arrests; gay man attacked (February 2016, 76crimes.com)
- Call for police probe of anti-gay hate speech in Malawi (Jan. 6, 2016, 76crimes.com)
- Pastor coalition wants homosexuals re-arrested (Jan. 4, 2015, The Nation)
- Gay Malawian appeals for justice; now he’s in hiding (Jan. 2, 2016, 76crimes.com)
- It’s official: No more Malawi arrests under anti-gay laws (July 2014, 76crimes.com)
- 3 in Malawi prisons await ruling on sodomy law
