Ugandan lawmakers just approved anti-gay laws imposing up to 20 years in prison and death for people identifying as LGBTQ.
Same-sex relations were already illegal in Uganda punishable by life imprisonment. Reuters reports that the new legislation includes:
- a ban on promoting and abetting homosexuality
- conspiracy to engage in homosexuality
- the death penalty for cases involving “aggravated homosexuality”, described as sex acts committed without consent or under duress, against children, people with mental or physical disabilities, by a “serial offender” or incest
Chairperson for legal and parliamentary affairs Robina Rwakoojo said,
A person who commits the offense of aggravated homosexuality and is liable, on conviction to suffer death.”
Opposition lawmaker Asuman Basalirwa introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 to parliament, saying it aims to
protect our church culture; the legal, religious and traditional family values of Ugandans from the acts that are likely to promote sexual promiscuity in this country.
The objective of the bill was to establish a comprehensive and enhanced legislation to protect traditional family values, our diverse culture, our faiths, by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex and the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between persons of the same sex.”
Lawmaker Fox Odoi-Oywelowo spoke out against the bill, saying it
contravenes established international and regional human rights standards” and “unfairly limits the fundamental rights of LGBTQ+ persons.”
Human Rights Watch warned earlier this month that the law would violate Ugandans’ rights. Oryem Nyeko called on politicians in the country to
stop targeting LGBT people for political capital.
One of the most extreme features of this new bill is that it criminalizes people simply for being who they are as well as further infringing on the rights to privacy, and freedoms of expression and association that are already compromised in Uganda.”
The bill is expected to eventually go to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who said last week homosexuals were
deviants.”
In 2009 Uganda introduced an anti-homosexuality bill with a death sentence for gay sex. It passed in 2014 with the death penalty clause replaced by life in prison.
Uganda passes bill banning identifying as LGBTQ https://t.co/ohnkiAjwaw pic.twitter.com/rFMyz80aPF
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 22, 2023
(Photo, GLAAD; via CNN)
