AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BLANTYRE - The United States, Europe and rights groups expressed outrage and alarm Friday at Malawi's jailing of a married gay couple, and urged the small African country to repeal its laws banning homosexuality.
A top Malawi daily also slammed the maximum sentence delivered Thursday of 14 years in jail with hard labour, although there was no official reaction from other African countries, most of which also make being gay a crime.
"Unfortunately, the maximum sentence, though it is within the prescribed law, goes a long way to portray us as a cruel nation and no wonder the sentence has attracted a lot of criticism," the independent Nation newspaper said.
"There is something grossly wrong," the paper said.
Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, and Steven Monjeza, 26, were arrested in late December after holding Malawi's first same-sex wedding. They were accused of violating "the order of nature".
The United States said it was "appalled" at the sentence. Link
