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South Sudan rebuffs UN push for gay-marriage

Sunday March 26 2017
South Sudan map

South Sudan has turned down the UN request to adopt a recommendation legalising same-sex marriage.

Justice minister Paulino Wanawila told the media in Juba that the young nation would live up to its traditional laws.

The UN Human Rights Council recently asked South Sudan to legalise gay marriage and abolish death sentence.

But the Mr Wanawila said the concerns raised by the UN were in conflict with the national laws and cultures.

Our cultures

“The same-sex marriage is in conflict with our national laws and our cultures,” he was quoted saying by the Eye Radio in Juba.

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He also claimed that it was not the right time for the young country to consider abolishing death sentence or legalising same-sex marriage.

However, UN Human Rights Council Penal code says that whoever causes the death of another person intentionally, shall be sentenced to death or imprisonment for life once convicted.

It also states that murder by a person serving life imprisonment shall, upon conviction, be punished with a death sentence.

Was outlawed

With the exception of South Africa, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Africa are limited in comparison to many other areas of the world.

Though same-sex relations phenomenon was found throughout Africa, it was outlawed in 34 out of the 55 states.

According to the Humana rights Watch, Benin and the Central African Republic, do not outlaw homosexuality, but have certain legislations which apply differently to heterosexual and homosexual individuals.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in South Africa since November 30, 2006.

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