This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
On June 11, 2019, Botswana's High Court made history by ruling that laws criminalising homosexuality were unconstitutional, effectively decriminalising same-sex relationships in the country.
However, the government has announced plans to appeal the ruling, with Attorney General Abraham Keetshabe stating that the judges had made a mistake in their decision.
"I have thoroughly read the 132-page-long judgment and I am of the view that the High Court erred in arriving at this conclusion," Mr Keetshabe said in a statement.
The High Court ruling was seen as a significant step towards improving LGBT rights in Africa, with many countries on the continent still maintaining laws that outlaw same-sex relationships.
Botswana's decision to appeal the ruling has been met with disappointment from human rights groups and activists around the world, who had celebrated the court's decision as a major victory for equality and human rights.
