Two married gay rights activists in Zimbabwe, Ellen Chadehama, 34, and Ignatius Mhambi, 38, were arrested and later subjected to torture tactics for possessing pornographic material and for insulting president Robert Mugabe, the Guardian in the UK is reporting.
The two allegedly possessed photographs of gay sex acts and posted a letter in their office from former San Francisco mayor Willie Lewis Brown. The letter reportedly criticized Mugabe's opposition to homosexuality. Security laws in the country dictate that it is an offense "to undermine the authority of the president."
There is little hope for equality in Zimbabwe as Mugabe, 86, has said in the past that same sex partners are "lower than dogs and pigs."
Chadehama and Mhambi were freed after six days in custody, where at times they were hit with bottles. They were released on bail ($200 each) and their trial is set for June 10. They could face additional imprisonment and fines.
The two activists reportedly work for Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) and are married with children. Even though homosexuality is illegal in the country, GALZ operates openly within the region.
Phumi Mtetwa, Director of the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project in South Africa, condemned the treatment of the LGBT community. "These struggles have to be seen in light of the increasing public homophobia on the continent - Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi and even South Africa, to mention a few. The South African government has a constitutional obligation to challenge its counterparts to defend the human rights of LGBTI people on the continent."
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