Zambian Police Arrest University Students Suspected of Same-Sex Activity, Subjected to Invasive Medical Checks
Zambia, a deeply conservative society where homosexual acts are illegal, witnessed the arrest of two male university students on suspicion of engaging in same-sex activity.
Following police orders, the pair underwent invasive medical examinations.
According to police spokesman Rae Hamoonga, the students were allegedly caught together in a toilet cubicle. They were subsequently taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), where a doctor confirmed their involvement in what the law terms as “unnatural acts.” Notably, both suspects are third-year medical students.
Zambia imposes a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for homosexual acts, a law that stirred controversy in 2019 when two men received the maximum sentence.
The subsequent diplomatic fallout, including the recall of the US Ambassador at the time, underscored international condemnation of such harsh punishments.