Burundi goes the homosexual way - They have also set a standard for other lawmakers around the world to follow
February 26th, 2009
In Brief: Senate rejects ban on homosexuality
NAIROBI, - The Burundian Senate has won praise from human rights activists this week for overwhelmingly voting against a bill that would have outlawed homosexuality.
Photo: IRIN 
The law proposed a sentence of up to two years in prison for homosexual conduct
The draft - approved by the lower chamber of parliament in 2008 - proposed a sentence of up to two years in prison for homosexual conduct.
"By rejecting this amendment, senators in Burundi have protected the human rights of their people," said Michel Sidibé, executive director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). "They have also set a standard for other lawmakers around the world to follow their example in stopping laws that block the AIDS response." [http://data.unaids.org/]
The new law also abolishes the death penalty and makes torture, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity punishable offences.
The senate version now goes back to the national assembly for adoption.
kr/mw
source.www.irinnews.org