the Senate voted through reform of Burundi’s criminal code...

the Senate voted through reform of Burundi’s criminal code, abolishing the death penalty and rejecting an amendment in the bill outlawing homosexuality.
Of the 43 senators present, 36 voted against the amendment criminalising homosexuality, Senate speaker Gervais Rufyikiri said. "I am not disappointed if (the amendment) concerning homosexuality is rejected," said Justice Minister Jean-Bosco Ndikumana, who was against the proposal.
One senator, who asked not to be named, said: "It is a victory for the tolerant camp because we received a lot of phone calls from the presidency telling us not to touch the amendment." In addition to abolishing capital punishment, the new law also makes torture, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity punishable offences.
The national assembly adopted the amendments to the penal code in November which also proposed to criminalise homosexuality, making it punishable by up to two years in jail.
On February 16, Human Rights Watch said it had written to President Pierre Nkurunziza and senators to say that outlawing homosexuality "violates basic human rights."
The New York-based watchdog said lawmakers had not had time to properly debate the bill when the national assembly approved it in November.
The senate version now goes back to the national assembly for adoption but if it fails to be passed, the two chambers have to form a commission to harmonise the bill before the president approves it.