Namibia's highest court has scrapped a law from the colonial era that prohibits same-sex relationships.
A good day for our democracy, says Friedel Dausab, the LGBTQI+ activist who brought the case.
The High Court declares the offences of "sodomy" and "unnatural sexual offences" as unconstitutional and invalid. Thus, a law from 1927, inherited since Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990, is scrapped.
After this decision, I no longer feel like a criminal on the run in my own country just because of who I am, says Friedel Dausab.
The London-based, non-governmental organisation Human Dignity Trust calls the ruling "historic" and says it prevents stigma and discrimination.
The ruling is the latest legal victory for the Namibian LGBTQI+ movement. In recent years, the country has seen a surge of cases about same-sex couples' right to, for example, get married, become parents, and immigrate.
Last year, the High Court ruled that same-sex marriages between Namibian citizens and foreign spouses concluded abroad should be recognised – but the ruling was rejected by conservatives and instead, a new law prohibiting same-sex marriages was adopted.
The law is awaiting ratification by the president.
