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Rwanda Debates Criminalizing Gay Sex


Rwandan Parliament X390 (DAVIDMUNDELL.COM) | ADVOCATE.COM

The lower house of the Rwandan parliament is scheduled Wednesday to hold its final debate on legislation that would make any individual who engages in or promotes gay sex a criminal.

According to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the proposal, Article 217 of the draft Penal Code Act, would criminalize "any person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice."

Punishment for the violation would include imprisonment for five to 10 years, along with a fine for 200,000 to 1 million Rwandan francs (approximately $350 to $1,750, in a country where the average annual income is equivalent to $370), reports Box Turtle Bulletin. The penalties are not as harsh as proposed in Uganda, where legislation that could sentence some people to death for gay sexual activity.

The chamber of deputies is expected to vote on the revision to the penal code before the end of the week.

If approved by the nation’s lower house, the legislation could go before the Rwandan senate as soon as early 2010.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: pissed off
    Date posted: 12/17/2009 10:40:46 AM
    Hometown: nYC

    Comment:

    GayElephant: every been to Africa? It's not that easy to just up and leave when you're poor as hell.

  • Name: felixbeam
    Date posted: 12/17/2009 6:11:38 AM
    Hometown: Manchester

    Comment:

    What You Can Do (pt2): 7. Solina Nyirahabimana Minister in the Office of the President Email: gfrank@presidency.gov.rw 2. Call on the Government of Rwanda to recognize, protect, respect and promote the human rights of all citizens and residents of Rwanda, including LGBTI people; 3. Protest against Article 217 for LGBT at the Rwandan Embassies in your country; 4. Lobby your Government (especially the Presidency and Foreign Ministries) to put pressure on the Government of Rwanda through diplomatic and other means possible; and to 5. Engage the press in your call for the promotion of human rights for all people in Rwanda.

  • Name: felixbeam
    Date posted: 12/17/2009 6:10:13 AM
    Hometown: Manchester

    Comment:

    What You Can Do (pt1): 1. Send letters to the following officials demanding immediate withdrawal of 217 from the draft revision of the Penal Code Act; 1. H.E Paul Kagame President of the Republic of Rwanda Phone: +250 818 2105/590 62105/818 2000/59062000 Fax: +250 572 431 2. Rt. Hon. Bernard Makuza Prime Minister of Rwanda Phone: +250 585 444/5, +250 584 648 Fax: +250 583 714 Email: primature@gov.rw 3. Tharcisse Karugarama Minister of Justice Phone: +250 586398/586561/585844 Fax: +250 586509 Email: mjust@minjust.gov.rw 4. Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo Minister of Health Phone: +250 77458/77910 Fax: +250 76853/77458 Email: gsante@rwandatel.com 5. Joseph Habineza Minister of Sports and Culture Phone: +250 5835315 Fax: 583518 Email: minispoc@gov.rw 6. Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Phone: +250 577626/577203/576455 Fax: +250 577543 Email: migeprofe@gov.rw

  • Name: GayElaphant
    Date posted: 12/17/2009 1:57:57 AM
    Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

    Comment:

    why don't you ask obama why he is cutting aid to the human rights watch in Iran,

  • Name: Jackson
    Date posted: 12/17/2009 1:29:23 AM
    Hometown: Providence

    Comment:

    10 years ago these people were slaughtering each other. Hutus killed close to a million Tutsis, most by machete! And these animals want to make gay sex illegal? Hypocrites! They will be back to killing each other in another 10 years! These people are ignorant, belligerent, backwards savages !! Gays of Rwanda (and Uganda) get the hell out of there while you can - the inmates are running the asylum!

  • Name: Davya
    Date posted: 12/17/2009 12:33:38 AM
    Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

    Comment:

    What's funny is that by "encouraging them to live independently" through Evangelical missions endorsed by several Republican and Conservative leaders, Gays are being put to death by "independent, purpose-driven, Christian" nations, like, Idk, Uganda.

  • Name: GayElaphant
    Date posted: 12/16/2009 10:59:04 PM
    Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

    Comment:

    Why do people act surprise when this happens? These third world countries obviously don't want to deal with gays so they figure that with these types of laws they will encourage them to leave. This is Africa folks, why do you expect these despotic governments to follow the will of gay Americans? all they care about is how much more aid and cash we will deliver to them, instead of encouraging them to be independent and take care of their own people. We are a good nation though and we will as always continue to accept gay refugees along with Europe. If I was in Africa I would have left in a New York second, not going to deal with it, just move on with my life and be happy as best I can. I hope many gay Africans can follow suit.

  • Name: newz4i
    Date posted: 12/16/2009 10:29:04 PM
    Hometown: Phoenix

    Comment:

    Could we say ... Christianity is spreading?

  • Name: Nathan
    Date posted: 12/16/2009 9:26:33 PM
    Hometown: Franklin

    Comment:

    Well this is obviously the work of anti-christians who no nothing about Christ but everything about making everyone else suffer.



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