Botswana decriminalizes homosexuality

The Botswana High Court on Tuesday ruled the nation’s ban on same-sex relations was unconstitutional. The court’s three judges unanimously agreed to scrap the 1965 law, which had carried a seven-year prison sentence. They wrote that sexual orientation is not a “fashion statement” and that diversity and tolerance are hallmarks of a democratic society. “Any criminalization of love or finding fulfillment in love dilutes compassion and tolerance,” the judges said.

In 2017, the High Court ordered the Botswana government to issue documentation for a transgender man to match his identity.

In recent years, Angola, Mozambique, and Seychelles have scrapped their homosexuality bans. Last month, Kenya upheld its ban on same-sex relations, which is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.