Mauritius has overturned a colonial-era law that criminalized same-sex relationships. The country’s Supreme Court declared Section 250 of the Mauritian Criminal Code, which dated back to 1898, as unconstitutional on Wednesday.
This law had previously made individuals engaged in same-sex relations liable to be imprisoned for up to five years.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court emphasized that the abolished law did not “reflect any indigenous Mauritian values but was inherited as part of our colonial history from Britain.”
The decision to repeal the anti-homosexuality law originated from October 2019 when four young Mauritians, representing the rights group Young Queer Alliance, filed a legal challenge against the law, citing violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms.
The United Nations and numerous human rights organizations have praised this ruling. UNAids stated in a release, “The UN welcomes the decision of Mauritius to join the growing list of African countries protecting the human rights of everyone, including LGBTQI+ people.”
With this ruling, Mauritius joins the increasing number of African nations that have either decriminalized or legalized same-sex relationships, including Angola, Botswana, Seychelles, and Mozambique.