ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — A rally that would have made Ethiopia the latest African country to demonize gay people has been canceled, officials said Wednesday.
In addition, plans by the legislature to add gay sex to a list of crimes not eligible for presidential pardons has been dropped, said a government spokesman.
Hostility toward gay people across Africa is high. Uganda and Nigeria increased penalties against homosexual acts this year. Gay people in other countries face severe discrimination and physical attacks.
Gay Ethiopians still face severe penalties for living in the open. Same-sex acts are punishable by up to 15 years in prison. A 25-year jail term is given to anyone convicted of infecting another person with HIV during same-sex acts.
But the government does not appear ready to further demonize gay people. The spokesman said the rally was on certain groups’ agenda, but not the government’s.