 about sierra leone
official name: Republic of Sierra Leone
capital: Freetown
head of state: President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
state: constitional democracy
population: 6,017,643
independence: from Britain in 1961
languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
religion: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
currency: leone (SLL)
media: NA
legal wise
status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: NA
laws covering homosexual activity: [Amnesty International say simply "Illegal: unnatural act". On the basis that Sierra Leone was a former British colony, it seems more likely that this applies to men only]
background information and government attitudes: NA
communication
main lines in use: 25,000 (2001)
cellular telephones: 30,000 (2001).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999).
Radios: 1.12 million (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1999).
Televisions: 53,000 (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000).
Internet users: 20,000 (2001).
links and contacts
SLLAGA (Sierra Leone Lesbian And Gay Association) sllaga2003@yahoo.co.uk
Articles:
 lesbian activist's killer escapes
by Mask Admin 18/7/2005
July 18, 2005: The man being held in the murder of Sierra Leone lesbian activist, Fannyann Eddy, has reportedly escaped from police detention.
fannyann eddy's alleged murderer in court
by Mask Admin 17/6/2005
June 17, 2005: The man accused of killing Eddy in her office is appearing in court today. It is not clear if the conspirace to commit murder charge has been pursued.
hiv/aids sero-prevalence survey conducted in sierra leone
by Mask Admin 17/6/2005
June 17, 2005: After "discovering" that 'rent boys' exists, the HIV/AIDS Secretariat decided to conduct HIV/AIDS sero-prevalence survey. The thinking is that rent boys are essentially what homosexuality is. Good for them, next they might just discover fire.
sllaga addresses the united national human rights commission session in geneva
by Mask Admin 18/4/2005
April 18, 2005: Following the brutal killing of Fanny Ann Eddy in Sierra Leone in 2004, her successor hasn�t been daunted and was one of the few African gay delegates to address this year�s UNHCR session.
suspected killer of lesbian activist charged
by Mask Admin 3/1/2005
January 3, 2005: Authorities in Sierra Leone have detained and charged the suspected killer of Fanny Ann Eddy, the country's outspoken campaigner for gay and lesbian rights.
 press release from the rainbow project by Mask Admin 12/10/2004
police hunt lesbian killer by Mask Admin 12/10/2004
human right activists call for investigation by Mask Admin 8/10/2004
activist murdered by Mask Admin 4/10/2004
galz mourns fannyann by Mask Admin 4/10/2004
non-discrimination in recruitment process of acc by Mask Admin 23/8/2004
a new war by Mask Admin 24/6/2004
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Jessica Stern, researcher for Human Rights Watch Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program
