Namibian High Court strikes down Apartheid-era sodomy laws
The Namibian High Court on Friday ruled laws that criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations in the country are unconstitutional.
Friedel Dausab, a gay activist, in 2020 challenged the Apartheid-era statute. The Washington Blade previously reported Dausab said the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, which listed “sodomy” as a Schedule 1 offense, and a second law that criminalized “unnatural” sexual acts, promote stigma and exclusion of LGBTQ Namibians.
Equal Namibia, a Namibian LGBTQ advocacy group, on its X account praised the ruling. “Welcome to a new Namibia. A born-free Namibia,” it said.
Dausab, who challenged the laws with the assistance of Human Dignity Trust, a British NGO, told Reuters he is “just happy.” “It’s a great day for Namibia,” he said. “It won’t be a crime to love anymore.” Namibia is the latest country in which consensual same-sex sexual relations have been decriminalized in recent years.
