Arrest and Conviction in Anti-Gay Malawi

As reported on February 3rd:

According to various reports, a man was arrested last weekend in Malawi for putting up posters that read “Gay Rights are Human Rights”.

Peter Sawali, 21, was arrested when police found him placing the posters along a main road in Blantyre. Police are conducting an investigation to find out where the posters came from and suspect they’re part of a movement being promoted by gay advocacy organizations outside of Malawi.

The Malawi police have released a statement saying Sawali will be charged with “conduct likely to cause breach of peace,” and if convicted, he faces fines and/or jail time of up to three months.

Homosexuality is against the law in the African country and two gay men arrested on gross indecency charges in December are still in custody after they held a formal commitment ceremony and have been denied bail twice as authorities claim they’re being held in custody for their own protection against the hostility many Malawi citizens have for LGBT persons.

Update from Nyasa Times:

Blantyre Magistrate Court on Friday convicted a man who was arrested for putting up posters championing gay rights in a continued anti-gay clampdown in Malawi.

Peter Sawali, 21, was found with stacks of expertly and expensively printed posters displaying such messages as “Gay rights are human rights” was answering charges of conducting himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace. He was arrested on January 29.

Sawari who claimed that he could neither read or write, told the court that he was not aware of the message that was on the placards.

More here!