On Wednesday, the Anglican Church in Southern African requested President Jacob Zuma and the South African government to lobby for the release to the two Malawian men who were sentenced to 14 years hard labour for their homosexual relationship.
The Synod of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa said: "We urge them to press for the swift release of these two, who have committed no act of violence or harm against anyone; for the quashing of the sentence against them; and for the repeal of this repressive legislation.
"As we have previously stated, though there is a breadth of theological views among us on matters of human sexuality, we are united in opposing the criminalisation of homosexual people.
"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. "
Stephen Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were arrested last December at a party they held to celebrate their engagement. The court which sentenced them stated that they had committed "unnatural acts and gross indecency".
The Anglican Church believes that the South African government has a responsibility to lobby for the rights of this couple through the the Southern African Development Community treaty to promote human rights, and also because of the principles enshrined in South Africa’s own constitution, says News24.com.
(To read the full story, please go to http://news24.com)