Death Penalty News

LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia’s president has pardoned a gay couple sentenced to 15 years in prison in November under colonial-era sodomy laws in a case that caused a diplomatic row with the United States. Japhet Chataba, 39, and Steven Sambo, 31, were among nearly 3,000 inmates pardoned by President Edgar Lungu last Friday to commemorate Africa Freedom Day, according to the government gazette. A Lusaka High Court judge had sentenced them to 15 years in prison under laws that forbid sex between couples “against the order of nature”. The case drew criticism from then U.S. ambassador Daniel Foote, who said the sentence was too harsh and could damage Zambia’s reputation.  Washington later withdrew Foote following the row with Zambian authorities over the issue. Over the past decade, several African countries have come into conflict over LGBT rights with Western countries, many of who are major aid donors. The previous Obama administration cut aid to Uganda and M...

Caning of two gay men in Aceh: A "cruel and sickening punishment." Trent Zimmerman says Australia cannot ignore the ‘cruel and sickening’ punishment, and Derryn Hinch wants foreign aid suspended A Liberal MP says the “cruel and sickening” caning of two gay men in Aceh has cast a cloud over Australia’s relationship with Indonesia. Australia should not stand by and ignore the inhumane treatment of the men who were caned 85 times under sharia law for having consensual sex, the gay backbencher Trent Zimmerman told parliament on Tuesday. He was grateful the foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop , had raised the matter with her Indonesian counterparts but called on others, including the Muslim community in Australia, to take a stand. “Our friendship with Indonesia has been strengthened by our perception of a pluralistic, democratic and moderate Islamic nation,” Zimmerman said. “Sadly, recent events have given us cause to question that understanding. “N...

Aid supplies on board an RAAF aircraft Indonesia will suffer the deepest cut from Australia's plans to slash foreign aid by almost 20 percent in the next fiscal year. Two weeks after recalling the ambassador from Jakarta in protest at the executions of two Australian drug traffickers, the government announced Tuesday it plans to cut Indonesian aid by 40 percent from 543 million Australian dollars ($428 million) to AU$323 million. Australia wants to cut its aid budget to AU$4.1 billion next year. Aid to other East Asian countries Vietnam, Philippines and Myanmar would be cut in similar proportions. But their losses are less in dollar terms because Indonesia receives the largest share of Australian aid. Cambodia, which has agreed to resettle refugees rejected by Australia, is alone among East Asian countries in maintaining its funding unchanged at AU$52.4 million next year. East Timor also took a lesser cut of AU$4 million from AU$72 million in the current fiscal yea...