Madonna saves Malawian gays

The president of Malawi has pardoned two gay men who were sentenced to 14 years in prison this month for gross indecency and unnatural acts, the country’s solicitor general, Anthony Kamanga, said Saturday.

President Bingu wa Mutharika announced his pardon of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga after meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Kamanga said. High-profile figures who spoke out in support of them include the singer Elton John and the pop star Madonna, who adopted a child from Malawi.

“These boys committed a crime against our culture, our religion and our laws,” Mutharika said after the meeting, at the southern African country’s State House. “However, as the head of state, I hereby pardon them and therefore ask for their immediate release with no conditions.

“I have done this on humanitarian grounds, but this does not mean that I support this.”