Namibia's supreme court has ruled that marriages held abroad will be recognised in the country even though same-sex marriage remains illegal.

A BBC.Com report sourcing the Namibian newspapers says this translates to mean "the court’s judgement gives non-Namibian spouses in same-sex marriages the same residence rights in Namibia that are accorded to spouses in opposite-sex marriages"

This comes after campaigns by rights activists and couples had themselves have been penalised by existing laws.

The Namibia Equal Rights Movement welcomed the news by tweeting: "Love Wins! Thank you to the Digashu and Sieller-Lilles families. Your strength in this fight has changed this nation for generations of Queer Namibians to come. #WeBelong."

YNA