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Samoa government accepts abolishing criminal libel but rejects sodomy and adultery

The Samoa government has endorsed a recommendation by the Law Reform Commission that the criminal libel offence be dropped but it has rejected recommendations that it abolish offences such as adultery and sodomy.

Samoa is presently considering major reforms of its 50-year-old Crimes Act.

An official at the Commission office says the cabinet also backs the removal of the impersonation of a female from the amended statute - something the local Fa’afafine Association had pushed for in its submission.

A government source says adultery and sodomy will be maintained in the new criminal law because such acts are not acceptable in a Christian country.