Decriminalisation of consensual same-sex acts in Angola and the progress of LGBTI human rights in Lusophone Africa
Posted: 5 March, 2021 Filed under: Rui Garrido | Tags: Angola, Angolan Penal Code, decriminalization of consensual sexual acts, Deputy President José Semedo, discrimination, domestic violence, for SOGI hate crimes, HIV/Aids, homophobia, ICPD, in Lusophone Africa, LGBTI, LGBTI human rights, Lusophone Africa, Portuguese, reproductive health, same-sex acts, sex education, sexual health, sexual rights, SOGIESC 1 Comment
Author: Rui Garrido
Ph.D Candidate, University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)
On 11 February 2021, the new Angolan Penal Code officially entered in force. This new legislation represented a major achievement for LGBTI people not only in Angola, but across the rest of Africa. It is important to highlight that, while the Penal Code was approved in Parliament in 23 January 2019, it was only officially published on 11 November 2020. Prior to this, the criminal legislation, the Portuguese Criminal Code (1886), inherited from colonialism, criminalised the “vices against nature” (art. 71)), a very vague formulation for deemed to refer to consensual same-sex conduct. Angola was the last of the African former Portuguese colonies to repeal the colonial legislation.
AfricLaw 