eing in prison anywhere is not a picnic. Being imprisoned in an impoverished nation like Malawi can be a death sentence. Such may be the final fate of Steven Monjeza. Peter Tatchell, Britain’s most prominent gay-rights activist, is reporting that Monjeza is vomiting, coughing, and suffering pain and pressure in his chest. His eyes are jaundiced. He is thin, weak and has no energy. Monjeza came to international attention when he was imprisoned, along with Tiwonge Chimbalanga. The two men, 26 and 20, dared to celebrate an “engagement ceremoney” and be open about their affection for each other. As reported here, the Central African nation has anti-gay laws on its books. Although sporadically enforced, the two men attracted the attention of authorities and were arrested. The case has attracted protests in London and elsewhere. Religious and political leaders have expressed concern. But now, the case is taking on an even more serious tone, with reports from observers that Monjeza is weakening daily. “At first sight, some of Steven’s symptoms seem like flu,” Tatchell reported. “But the prison authorities have discounted this possibility. They suspected that he had TB. Steven was sent for tests. But the TB tests have come back negative. The prison authorities would not have sent him to be tested for TB if his symptoms corresponded to flu. Prison officials are unable to determine Steven’s illness. Although they are unsure, they are not doing further medical tests. Even if Steven had only bronchitis or pleurisy, we should be concerned. These can develop into pneumonia, which can sometimes be fatal.” Monjeza receives two meals day, always the same: porridge with beans. The two men’s families could send food, but they have abandoned them. The prison is regarded as crowded and substandard even by African standards. Malawi was in the news when Madonna adopted children from the nation and started an orphanage.
Imprisoned Malawi Same-Sex Couple Speaks Out
ast December, a male same-sex couple in Malawi who celebrated their engagement to one another were arrested under that country’s “decency” laws. Ever since, Steven Monjeza, 26, and his fiancée, Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, have been held in prison in Blantyre, Malawi, and reportedly have been subjected to intrusive medical examinations to determine whether they have engaged in anal sex. The men have been denied release on bail as they await their trial date on “indecency” charges, which are the provisions under which gays are typically prosecuted in the impoverished African nation. Their trial has been delayed several times. Earlier this month, is was reported that Monjeza had fallen ill; an April 19 EDGE story reported that the conditions at Chichiri prison, where the two are being held, are poor even by Malawi’s standards, and that the men are being underfed. (Their families have broken off contact and refuse to help.) On a continent where anti-gay sentiment has been on the rise, Monjeza and Chimbalanga’s predicament is emblematic of the persecution that GLBT people there endure; Malawi supporters of the couple, and health activists working to educate the public about HIV, have been placed under arrest. In another African nation, Uganda, lawmakers are considering a bill that would impose the death sentence on gays in some cases. But the men have remained committed to one another and have released a statement, according to an April 27 press release from OutRage!, a London-based LGBT advocacy organization. “I love Steven so much,” Chimbalanga said in the statement. “If people or the world cannot give me the chance and freedom to continue living with him as my lover, then I am better off to die here in prison. Freedom without him is useless and meaningless.”We have come a long way and even if our family relatives are not happy, I will not and never stop loving Tiwonge,” Monjeza said. “We are thankful for the people who have rallied behind us during this difficult time. We are grateful to the people who visit and support us, which really makes us feel to be members of a human family; otherwise we would feel condemned,” added Chimbalanga. According to the release, the statement was relayed from Chichiri Prison to OutRage! head Peter Tatchell. The press release included an address, Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, Prisoners, Chichiri Prison, P. O. Box 30117, Blantyre 3, Malawi, where well wishers can send correspondence to the imprisoned couple. “All the support is well appreciated,” said Monjeza. “We are grateful to everybody who is doing this for us. May people please continue the commendable job. Keep sending some small contribution. The money you send to us is so valuable and it makes such a huge difference between life and death, as prison life is very difficult. With the money we are able to buy some extra food to supplement our intake of the much needed vitamins and proteins.”Steven and Tiwonge are showing immense fortitude and courage,” said Tatchell. “They declared their love in a society where many people–not all–are very intolerant and homophobic. This was a very brave thing to do. Although suffering in prison, they are unbowed. They continue to maintain their love and affirm their human right to be treated with dignity and respect. “They have taken a pioneering stand for the right to love,” added Tatchell. “They love each other, have harmed no one and believe that love should not be a crime. It is nobody’s business what they do in the privacy of their own home. There is no evidence that they have committed any crime under Malawian law. They should not be on trial or in prison. Although not convicted of an offence, they have already spent four months behind bars. “OutRage! is supporting Steven and Tiwonge. For the last three months, we have arranged extra food to supplement the men’s meager, poor quality prison rations,” Tatchell continued. “We pay tribute to the other people and organizations who are giving legal and medical assistance to the detained men. This is a huge help. Steven and Tiwonge have asked me to communicate their appreciation.”The release noted that Amnesty International has “adopted” the couple as “Prisoners of Conscience.” AI’s U.K. director, Kate Allen, said that, “Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga have committed no criminal offense,” and added, “It is vital that as many people as possible join us in writing to the Malawi authorities calling on them to release the two men.” The organization publicizes cases of human rights abuses against GLBTs and other minorities, and exerts pressure on governments to ease laws that single out and persecute minority groups. The couple’s arrest has led to international protests and warnings that Malawi, which relies heavily on international aid, could risk alienating nations that provide crucially needed funds. However, the government has refused to yield in the case, with Information Minister Leckford Mwanza Thoto saying in January that Monjeza and Chimbalanga were “clearly breaking the laws of Malawi,” and adding, “As [a] government we cannot interfere in the court process.” Thoto went on to say, “We depend on our Western friends, yes, but we are a sovereign country.” The April 27 release reported that Manjeza’s health was no longer deteriorating, but said that he is still suffering from an undetermined affliction: “He is thin and weak and has jaundiced eyes, according to an eye-witness who saw him last weekend,” the release said. But the couple remains hopeful that international pressure will eventually lead to “our release and the dropping of charges by the Malawi government.”
by Kilian Melloy
WORLDWIDE CONDEMNATION OF MALAWI SENTENCING
global outcry has resulted from a Malawi court handing down a maximum 14-year sentence to two men for celebrating their engagement. The ruling found Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza guilty of “unnatural acts and gross indecency,” reported the Associated Press on May 20. The men were placed under arrest last Dec. 27, following a party they hosted the previous day. The men were then detained for months and subjected to intrusive medical examinations to determine whether they had engaged in anal sex. “These offenses carry with them a sense of shock against the morals of the Malawi society,” declared the judge in the men’s trial, Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa Usiwa, who determined the sentence. But nations from around the world registered shock at the verdict: Canada’s conservative-led government denounced the outcome, with Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon declaring two hours after the sentence was pronounced, “Cases like this are cases we condemn.” Added Cannon, “We will be following this case as every other case. Canada has a great reputation internationally because we stand up for human rights, and speak out on … things that need to be denounced.” Malawi is scheduled to take part in the next G20 summit, which will take place in Ottawa, reported Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail on May 20. The United States also slammed the sentence, with the Obama Administration declaring that, “The United States strongly condemns the conviction and harsh sentencing of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga in Malawi,” reported Advocate.com on May 20. “The criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity is unconscionable, and this case mars the human rights record of Malawi,” the White House press release added. “We urge Malawi and all countries to stop using sexual orientation or gender identity as the basis for arrest, detention, or execution.” The United Nations also weighed in, with High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay calling the ruling “blatantly discriminatory,” and warning that the high profile case could drive gays underground, hampering efforts to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS, which has devastated much of Africa, reported the South African newspaper Mail&Guardian on May 21.The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission sent a letter of protest to Bingu wa Mutharika, the president of Malawi, urging him to “reaffirm that all Africans are entitled to enjoy the human rights laid out in the African Charter and other domestic, regional and international documents, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.”Following a traditional engagement ceremony with family and friends, the couple was arrested on December 28, 2009 for “unnatural offences” (Sections 153) and “indecent practices between males” (Article 156) of the Malawi Penal Code,” recounted Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of the IGLHRC. “On January 6, 2010, the couple was taken to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, where Chimbalanga was forced to undergo an involuntary medical examination–including an anal examination–to confirm the charges of sodomy. Such anal examinations have been discredited as unscientific and can represent cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The following day, both Monjeza and Chimbalanga were subjected to involuntary psychiatric evaluations. “In addition to the humiliation of forced medical exams, there have been several reports of the couple suffering humiliating treatment in court, including being mocked for their relationship by trial observers and forced to clean up vomit after one became ill,” Johnson continued. “Since their arrest, Monjeza and Chimbalanga have been held in Chichiri Prison in Blantyre under ’protective custody,’ despite the fact that they and their lawyers have argued that they were unsafe in prison. The two were repeatedly denied bail, a decision condemned by the Malawi Law Society. The Malawi Law Society said in an interview ’We feel that the reasons for [their] being denied bail were not meritable … It’s like saying that let’s keep them here until they get convicted. Really the reasons for refusing them bail are not in line with the Constitution.’ Several recent incidents have raised concerns about the promotion and protection of the human rights of all Malawians. We are alarmed that during the ordination of Monsignor Montfort Stima of the Archdiocese of Blantyre on April 23, 2010, you reportedly denounced homosexuality as ’un-Malawian,’ ’evil’ and ’disgusting,’ falsely linking it to corruption, violence, theft and prostitution.” Johnson also called for the pardon and release of the two men. American pop icon Madonna, who has supported charitable work benefiting Malawi, also spoke out against the sentence, saying, “I am shocked and saddened by the decision made today by the Malawian court, which sentenced two innocent men to prison,” reported Boy Culture on May 20. “As a matter of principle, I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what their gender, race, color, religion, or sexual orientation,” the singer continued. “Today, Malawi took a giant step backward,” Madonna added. “The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved.” The global star went on to say, “I call upon the progressive men and women of Malawi–and around the world–to challenge this decision in the name of human dignity and equal rights for all.” Malawi depends on foreign aid to meet nearly half its budget. British Newspaper The London Times reported that Britain is the country’s biggest benefactor economically, contributing more than $115 million per year to the African nation. The UK’s government, the Times said, proclaimed “dismay” at the sentence, but did not threaten economic sanctions against Malawi.
