ETHIOPIA TO BAN PARDONING OF GAY PEOPLE

Ethiopia is set to pass a bill that will make homosexuality a non-pardonable offence.

Male and female same-sex sex is illegal in the country and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The new bill, however, seeks to ensure that no-one convicted of homosexuality could get away with it by being pardoned by the country’s president.

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has backed the proposal to amend the nation’s Pardon and Amnesty Law to include homosexuality as a non-pardonable crime.

Other offences in this list include genuinely serious crimes such as corruption, human-trafficking, smuggling, rape and terrorism.

The bill to amend the law is expected to pass in parliament when it is put up for a vote.

Africa is experiencing an unprecedented new threat against LGBT people as countries enact or consider enacting homophobic and oppressive new legislation.

An activist from the Rainbow Ethiopia group told LGBTQ Nation that “it seems the government is trying to its emulate Nigeria’s and Uganda’s anti-gay laws.”

In addition to these countries, there are also efforts in the DRC and Kenya to bolster anti-gay legislation.

Homosexuality is currently illegal in 37 African countries.