Namibia Court Decriminalizes Consensual Same-Sex Conduct

A Major Step for Equality, Nondiscrimination, and Inclusion in Africa

The Namibian High Court has declared the common law offences of “sodomy” and “unnatural sexual offences” unconstitutional, marking a major victory for LGBT people.

These colonial-era laws – which were inherited from South Africa after Namibia’s independence – criminalized consensual same-sex conduct between male adults.

“For now, we are celebrating. We are no longer considered criminals by the law,” a Namibian lesbian, gay,…