ARRESTS IN MALAWI OF CUTHBERT KULEMELA AND KELVIN GONANI

That this House notes with serious concern reports in the Nyasa Times and elsewhere that Cuthbert Kulemela and Kelvin Gonani have been arrested in Lilongwe, Malawi, related to having consensual sex together; welcomes the condemnation of this development by the US Ambassador to Malawi, and echoes her calls for the charges to be dropped; believes the arrest is a regressive step given the relaxation of anti-gay laws under the previous President of Malawi; recognises the strong friendship that exists between Scotland, the UK as a whole, and Malawi, and in a spirit of friendship reminds the Malawi government of its international human rights obligations with respect to the protection of minorities from persecution; and calls on the Government to urgently express these concerns to the government of Malawi.