Mauritius: Toppling two centuries of state-sanctioned stigma against LGBT people

26 minutes

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Watch a film about Ryan Ah Seek's historic legal victory which toppled 186 years of state-sanctioned stigma against LGBT people.

The case, brought by Ryan with the support of local LGBT organisation the Collectif Arc-en-Ciel and the Human Dignity Trust, challenged the constitutionality of Section 250 of the Mauritian Criminal Code, which dated back to 1838. The provision criminalised ‘sodomy’ and anyone convicted could face a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

The landmark decision from the Supreme Court not only changed the lives of Mauritius' LGBT community, but sent an important message to the remaining criminalising countries in Africa and beyond: these outdated and archaic laws must go.