Botswana's High Court unanimously rules to overturn law criminalizing homosexuality

The LGBTQ movement in Botswana just scored a major victory — the country's High Court unanimously overturned a law criminalizing same-sex relations on Tuesday.

"A democratic society is one that embraces tolerance, diversity, and open-mindedness," Justice Michael Leburu said. "Societal inclusion is central to ending poverty and fostering shared prosperity."

Before the ruling, Botswana's penal code carried a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment for "carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature" and maximum 2-year sentence for "acts of gross indecency" in public or private, reports CNN. But Letsweletse Motshidiemang, a 21-year-old student at the University of Botswana, brought a case to court in March, arguing that homosexuality was more widely accepted in a changed society. Many agreed; the packed court erupted into cheers after the ruling was announced.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Neela Ghoshal, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, told CNN that the ruling sets a "powerful precedent" for LGBTQ rights on the African continent, though Kenya did recently uphold its laws criminalizing homosexuality.