A Botswana court has postponed ruling on a case in which the government is seeking to overturn a 2019 ruling that decriminalised gay sex, saying the matter needed more research and debate. The case was initially brought by a university student, Letsweletse Motshidiemang, whose representatives argued then that the government should do away with the law in light of a changed society where homosexuality was more widely accepted.
A TimesLIVE report notes that gay sex is been punishable by up to seven years in prison. Representing the state, Sydney Pilane told the Court of Appeal that “people don't hate or dislike gays…they simply just don’t approve of what they do”. “It is not the court’s responsibility to gauge whether people’s attitude towards gay sex has changed. That responsibility should be placed with parliament to change laws,” he added.
Court President Ian Kirby said it would take the judges more than the normal one week period to deliver a judgment, as the matter was important and needed considerable research and debate. He gave no date for a ruling.
TimesLive article – Botswana appeals ruling allowing gay sex, court delays judgment (Open access)
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