Muslim-majority Zanzibar – an island nation and an important tourist destination on the East African coast – is the latest country to demonstrate homophobia. Zanzibar's President has recently given his assent to a Bill passed unanimously by the Zanzibar Parliament. The new law imposes a 25 year prison sentence for men indulging in homosexual acts and 7 years for lesbian acts.

IHEU regrets the homophobia sweeping the African continent, and calls upon governments and international Human Rights institutions to take note of the serious violation of the individual's right to retain his or her sexual identity and orientation. Homosexual men and women are amongst the most vulnerable groups in Africa. They face immense social prejudice and government harassment.

In the recent past two Somali women were sentenced to death for "unnatural behaviour". In Egypt, three men were accused of setting up a gay web site and charged by the police – homosexual acts are illegal under the Egyptian penal code. President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has described homosexuals as "worse than pigs and dogs"; President Sam Nujoma of Namibia announced a few years ago "the Republic of Namibia does not allow homosexuality or lesbianism here. Police are ordered to arrest you, deport you and imprison you."

A recent outrage has been the decision in October this year by the Broadcasting Council of Uganda to fine

Simba Radio a sum of Uganda Shillings 1.8 million for a talk show on homosexuality. Even though the programme discussed and educated the public about various concerns of homosexuals, and strategies to

reduce and stop discrimination against homosexuals in Uganda, the Council ordered the radio station to make a public apology for a programme that it deemed "contrary to public morality". The apology, drafted by the broadcasting council, was to be aired on the station for two days after every news bulletin and published in the New Vision, the Monitor and Bukedde newspapers. When representatives of Sexual Minorities of Uganda (SMUG) approached several broadcasters with their reaction to the Council’s ruling they were denied the chance to speak for fear of facing the same penalty as Radio Simba.

22 June 2004

London

In June 2004 IHEU wrote the following letter to several African country embassies expressing concern about the situation of homosexuals in their countries.

22 June 2004

London

Your Excellency,

The IHEU recently organised an International Conference Humanist Visions for Africa held in Kampala, Uganda, in

May 2004. The conference pledged our unflinching support and moral solidarity to the development, progress and modernisation of Africa. The Conference also noted the urgent need to help African women gain equality and respect

in society on a par with men. In Kampala IHEU also held its General Assembly where we passed the following resolution, which I commend to your attention.

"The General Assembly of the International Humanist and Ethical Union meeting in Kampala, Uganda on 27 May 2004 urges all African governments, and especially those of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Zambia, to respect the rights of all people to sexual autonomy and privacy, to eliminate all forms of discrimination against their citizens on grounds of their gender or sexual orientation, and to decriminalize homosexual activity between consenting adults".

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, and the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, which set universal standards for Human Rights in all countries guarantee the right to privacy and the right to equal protection of the law to all citizens of a country. Further, Article 28 of the UDHR recognises that

"Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized".

As one of the most vulnerable groups in your country, homosexual men and women are exposed to extreme social discrimination and interference in their private lives. As homosexual behaviour between consenting adults is criminalised in your country, they are denied their sexual autonomy and the equal protection of the law which safe guards heterosexual men and women. Apart from the social intolerance, they are subject to permanent harassment by officials and the police.

To be compliant with Article 28 of the UDHR, may we urge your sovereign government to initiate steps to repeal all laws which criminalise homosexuality or discriminate against homosexuals, and to refrain from introducing new discriminatory laws? Such a step in combination with encouragement of tolerance of alternative sexual orientations

in society will give a boost to the principle of sexual selfdetermination, and further the cause of freedom in your country. May I point out that this suggested measure does not imply supporting or preferring one sexual orientation over another – of course, consensual sexual activity is a private affair, and neither needs nor warrants government

encouragement, approval or discrimination.

Babu Gogineni, Executive Director, IHEU