South African envoy found guilty of hate speech

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Human Rights Commission has won a hate speech case involving an anti-gay column the country's ambassador to Uganda wrote before his appointment.

Commission spokesman Vincent Moaga says a judge on Tuesday ruled that the 2008 opinion article by veteran journalist Jon Qwelane promoted hatred. Qwelane was ordered to apologize and pay a fine of 100,000 rand (about $14,000) that the human rights commission will donate to a gay rights organization.

Moaga says his commission takes no position on whether Qwelane, appointed last year, should continue as ambassador.

Uganda has been criticized by human rights groups over a proposed bill that gives gays the death sentence in some cases. Uganda's parliament has yet to vote on the bill.