In this statement, the Anglican Bishops in Southern Africa called upon the Government of South Africa to lobby the Government of Malawi for the release of Stephen Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga. The couple were jailed in Malawi after they affirmed their same-sex relationship in a traditional engagement ceremony. They were convicted under Malawi’s Penal Code for ‘unnatural offences’ and ‘gross indecency’ and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The Bishops affirmed that they are united in opposing the criminalisation of homosexual people and stated, ‘we see the sentence that has been handed down to these two individuals as a gross violation of human rights and we therefore strongly condemn such sentences and behaviour towards other human beings.’
The Bishops reiterated that the principles of respect and human dignity are at the heart of the South African Constitution and called on the President and Government to ‘pursue the same values and standards for the upholding of human well-being, dignity and respect, in our external relations.’
In the statement, the Bishops also condemned the violent language used against the gay community across Sub-Saharan Africa and called on law makers to defend the rights of the community.
The statement closed with a commitment to ‘teach, preach and act against any laws that undermine human dignity and oppress any and all minorities.’
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