During Pride Glasgow, on 17th July, there will be a demonstration on behalf of the two prisoners of conscience – Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, who were sentenced at a trial last week in Blantyre, one of Malawi’s main cities.

Ross Stevenson, director of Pride Glasgow, said (Herald, 23rd May): “We urge the Scottish and UK governments to enter talks with Malawi officials in ensuring that aid and other support given to the country is linked to reform for equalities and human rights and to offer support in doing this.”

From Amnesty International UK's Take Action  page:

On 26 December 2009 a Malawian couple, Steven Monjeza (26) and Tiwonge Chimbalanga (20), were arrested allegedly for holding a traditional engagement ceremony (Chinkhoswe) in Blantyres township of Chirimba.

They have been convicted of unnatural offences and indecent practices between males, and sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour. The couple were beaten while in police custody. Amnesty International considers both men prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for their perceived consensual same sex relationship, and has urged the Malawian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the couple.

On 20th May 2010 Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga have been sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour after being convicted of 'gross indecency' and 'unnatural acts'.

From Peter Tatchell's Outrage! Action page

Send a letter or postcard of support to Steven and Tiwonge. In this difficult time, they need to know that people around the world love and support them. Get all your friends to do the same. Write to: Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, Prisoners, Chichiri Prison, P.O.Box 30117, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, Malawi

Write a letter to your MP and all your MEPs via Write To Them. Urge him or her to write a letter of protest to Malawian President and to the Malawian Ambassador in your country.

Ask your MP and MEPs to protest to the Malawian President and to the Malawi High Commission in London.

Ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 564, which protests against the prosecution of Tiwonge and Steven.

Update,  1st June:

Tiwonge and Stephen were pardoned on 29th May 2010. Responses to the pardon from Outrage!, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, and the Scotland Malawi Partnership, can be found on the News page.