Uganda's anti-gay law: how rtricted are LGBTQ rights Ai? | Rters

Contents:

• UGANDA’S ANTI-GAY BILL IS THE LATT AND WORST TO TARGET LGBTQ AINS
• UGANDA PASSED ONE OF THE WORLD’S HARSHT ANTI-GAY LAWS. LGBTQ PEOPLE SCRIBE LIVG THERE AS ‘HELL’
• UGANDA'S ANTI-GAY LAW: HOW RTRICTED ARE LGBTQ RIGHTS AI?
• HELPG OUR LGBTQ+ BROTHERS AND SISTERS UGANDANSCE 2014, RWF HAS BEEN PROVIDG SUPPORT TO LGBTQ+ PEOPLE UGANDA BY FUNDG SHELTER, SAFE PASSAGE, AND THE MEDIL NEEDS OF PEOPLE FLEEG DANGER. WE ALSO FUND EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE UGANDAN LGBTQ+ MUNY. THERE WAS AN LATN OF VLENCE TOWARD LGBTQ+ PEOPLE UGANDA 2022. IN MAY, THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA PASSED SEXUAL OFFENS BILL 2019 WHICH FURTHER CRIMALIZ SAME-SEX ACTS AND RELATNSHIPS. PARLIAMENTARY BATE AND PUBLIC DISCSN ON THE BILL IGNED HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC FERVOR LEADG TO ATTACKS ON THE LGBTQ+ MUNY. MANY LGBTQ+ UGANDANS EXPERIENCED VLATNS OF THEIR MOST BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. AB CLU BEG OUTED OR BLACKMAILED BY NEIGHBORS OR FAY MEMBERS LEADG TO LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT AND HOG FOR MANY. HARASSMENT AND ABE BY THORI IS ALSO A REAL THREAT - 95 GAY MEN WERE ARRTED, JAILED FOR 4-5 DAYS RELEASED AND THEN REARRTED. OTHERS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO ARBRARY ARRTS AND TENTNS WHICH ARE OFTEN REPORTED THE NEWS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PECIALLY IF THEY WERE ARRTED ON “SPICN OF HOMOSEXUALY”. WHILE RCERATED LGBTQ+ PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED TORTURE, PHYSIL AND SEXUAL ABE CLUDG FORCED ANAL EXAMATNS, BEATGS, STRIP-SEARCH, AND ABE BY OTHER MAT. IN JULY, A WELL-KNOWN GAY ACTIVIST WAS MURRED. IN AUGT, THE PRINT MEVENI CLED TO SIGN THE BILL TO LAW AS WAS NOT POLILLY ADVANTAGEO. THE CYCLE OF VLENCE HAS NOT STOPPED.2023 ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILLON MARCH 9, 2023, ASUMAN BASALIRWA, A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, TRODUCED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL PARLIAMENT. THE BILL IS A REVISED AND MUCH STRONGER VERSN OF THE 2014 ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY ACT, WHICH RERCED EXISTG PRISON SENTENC FOR SAME-SEX NDUCT AND OUTLAWED THE “PROMOTN OF HOMOSEXUALY,” BUT WAS STCK DOWN BY A URT ON PROCRAL GROUNDS. THE BILL, IF PASSED WOULD CRIMALIZE ANY PERSON WHO “HOLDS OUT AS A LBIAN, GAY, TRANSGENR, A QUEER, OR ANY OTHER SEXUAL OR GENR INTY THAT IS NTRARY TO THE BARY TEGORI OF MALE AND FEMALE,” WH A PUNISHMENT OF UP TO TEN YEARS PRISON. ON MARCH 21, 2023 THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA APPROVED A BILL WH HARSHER PROVISNS AGAST HOMOSEXUAL RELATNSHIPS. THE BILL CLUS THE CHARG OF "AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALY" AND "ATTEMPTED HOMOSEXUALY" WH SENTENC OF UP TO 10 YEARS PRISON. ADDNAL SENTENC RELATED TO THE BILL CLU LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR GROOMG OR TRAFFICKG CHILDREN FOR PURPOS OF ENGAGG THEM HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVI AND EVEN THE ATH PENALTY FOR "AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALY", THAT IS SEXUAL ABE OF A CHILD, A PERSON WH DISABILY OR VULNERABLE PEOPLE, OR S WHERE A VICTIM OF HOMOSEXUAL ASSLT IS FECTED WH A LIFE-LONG ILLNS. FAY MEMBERS N BE CRIMALIZED FOR NOT TURNG RELATIVE THE BILL ALSO REQUIR ANY ONE TO REPORT ANY KNOWN LGBTQ+ PERSON TO THE THORI AND N PUNISH ANY PROPERTY OWNERS/LANDLORDS WHO PROVI HOG TO LGBTQ+ PERSONS IF THEIR PROPERTY IS ED AS A "BROTHEL" FOR HOMOSEXUAL ACTS OR ANY OTHER SEXUAL MORI RIGHTS' ACTIVI.ON 21 MARCH 2023, PARLIAMENT PASSED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL. THE DRAFT LAW PRCRIBED THE ATH PENALTY FOR "AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALS" (FN WHICH CLUS THOSE WHO ARE NVICTED OF HOMOSEXUALY MORE THAN ONCE AND THOSE WHO ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL SEX WH A PERSON OLR THAN 75 OR WH A DISABLED PERSON) AND UP TO 20 YEARS PRISON FOR "PROMOTERS" OF HOMOSEXUALY.ON 21 APRIL, 2023 PRINT MEVENI SENT THE BILL BACK TO PARLIAMENT, WHICH PASSED AGA ON MAY 2, 2023 WH MOR AMENDMENTS BY A VOTE OF 348 TO 1. ON 29 MAY 2023, AFTER PARLIAMENT WATERED DOWN PRINT MEVENI SIGHED TO LAW. IT IS AMONG HE HARSHT ANTI-LGBTQ LAWS THE WORLD. HOMOSEXUAL ACTS ARE ALREADY ILLEGAL UGANDA BUT NOW ANYONE NVICTED FAC LIFE IMPRISONMENT.ON MAY 29, 2023, PRINT MEVENI SIGNED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL TO LAW ON 29 MAY.
• NO, UGANDA IS NOT MAKG ILLEGAL TO BE GAY (AGA)

UGANDA’S ANTI-GAY BILL IS THE LATT AND WORST TO TARGET LGBTQ AINS

Uganda's Print Yoweri Meveni has signed one of the world's harsht anti-LGBTQ laws, cludg the ath penalty for "aggravated homosexualy", fiance of Wtern nmnatns and potential sanctns om aid donors.

Same-sex relatns were already illegal Uganda, as they are more than 30 Ain untri, but the new law further targets lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer people. More than half Ai’s 54 natns prohib nsensual same-sex activy, acrdg to the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn (ILGA). In Egypt, homosexualy is not a crime but gay men are equently arrted and charged wh bchery, immoraly or blasphemy.

While there has been progrs some Ain natns to crimalise same-sex relatnships, public opn polls show overall Ains' attus toward LGBTQ people starkly ntrast those other untri where homosexualy has been more wily accepted. An creasg trend of acceptance has been driven part by younger people who have adopted more acceptg views toward homosexualy.

UGANDA PASSED ONE OF THE WORLD’S HARSHT ANTI-GAY LAWS. LGBTQ PEOPLE SCRIBE LIVG THERE AS ‘HELL’

However, Ain natns there is ltle difference between younger and olr opns on homosexualy. In a poll by Aobarometer of 48, 000 people across 34 untri, more than 75% of rponnts across all ag said they would strongly or somewhat dislike havg a gay neighbour. 6% of 56-year-olds and olr said they would somewhat or strongly like or not re about havg a homosexual neighbour.

A 2014 study by rearchers at the Universy of Readg found former Brish loni were “overwhelmgly more likely to have laws that crimalise homosexualy. However, several former French loni have passed anti-homosexualy laws after gag pennce, cludg Algeria, Cameroon, Mrania and most recently Chad, which banned same-sex acts between men and women 2017.

A more ntemporary fluence, acrdg to gay rights mpaigners, has been foreign anti-LGBTQ relig groups. An earlier Ugandan bill, known as the “kill the gays” bill for ially proposg hangg homosexuals, was troduced after a March 2009 nference Kampala that hosted reprentativ om the U. It is currently legal to be gay 22 Ain untri, acrdg to ILGA’s database summarisg laws about same-sex activy.

UGANDA'S ANTI-GAY LAW: HOW RTRICTED ARE LGBTQ RIGHTS AI?

In the 12 untri that have never adopted laws crimalisg homosexualy, is facto legal to be gay. In the 2019-2021 Aobarometer surveys, rponnts untri where homosexualy is facto legal were jt as likely to say they would dislike havg a gay neighbour as rponnts untri where is crimalised. Even among the untri that have officially crimalised same-sex activi, rponnts om Gabon and Lotho were jt as likely to say they would dislike havg a gay neighbour.

HELPG OUR LGBTQ+ BROTHERS AND SISTERS UGANDANSCE 2014, RWF HAS BEEN PROVIDG SUPPORT TO LGBTQ+ PEOPLE UGANDA BY FUNDG SHELTER, SAFE PASSAGE, AND THE MEDIL NEEDS OF PEOPLE FLEEG DANGER. WE ALSO FUND EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE UGANDAN LGBTQ+ MUNY. THERE WAS AN LATN OF VLENCE TOWARD LGBTQ+ PEOPLE UGANDA 2022. IN MAY, THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA PASSED SEXUAL OFFENS BILL 2019 WHICH FURTHER CRIMALIZ SAME-SEX ACTS AND RELATNSHIPS. PARLIAMENTARY BATE AND PUBLIC DISCSN ON THE BILL IGNED HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC FERVOR LEADG TO ATTACKS ON THE LGBTQ+ MUNY. MANY LGBTQ+ UGANDANS EXPERIENCED VLATNS OF THEIR MOST BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. AB CLU BEG OUTED OR BLACKMAILED BY NEIGHBORS OR FAY MEMBERS LEADG TO LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT AND HOG FOR MANY. HARASSMENT AND ABE BY THORI IS ALSO A REAL THREAT - 95 GAY MEN WERE ARRTED, JAILED FOR 4-5 DAYS RELEASED AND THEN REARRTED. OTHERS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO ARBRARY ARRTS AND TENTNS WHICH ARE OFTEN REPORTED THE NEWS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PECIALLY IF THEY WERE ARRTED ON “SPICN OF HOMOSEXUALY”. WHILE RCERATED LGBTQ+ PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED TORTURE, PHYSIL AND SEXUAL ABE CLUDG FORCED ANAL EXAMATNS, BEATGS, STRIP-SEARCH, AND ABE BY OTHER MAT. IN JULY, A WELL-KNOWN GAY ACTIVIST WAS MURRED. IN AUGT, THE PRINT MEVENI CLED TO SIGN THE BILL TO LAW AS WAS NOT POLILLY ADVANTAGEO. THE CYCLE OF VLENCE HAS NOT STOPPED.2023 ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILLON MARCH 9, 2023, ASUMAN BASALIRWA, A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, TRODUCED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL PARLIAMENT. THE BILL IS A REVISED AND MUCH STRONGER VERSN OF THE 2014 ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY ACT, WHICH RERCED EXISTG PRISON SENTENC FOR SAME-SEX NDUCT AND OUTLAWED THE “PROMOTN OF HOMOSEXUALY,” BUT WAS STCK DOWN BY A URT ON PROCRAL GROUNDS. THE BILL, IF PASSED WOULD CRIMALIZE ANY PERSON WHO “HOLDS OUT AS A LBIAN, GAY, TRANSGENR, A QUEER, OR ANY OTHER SEXUAL OR GENR INTY THAT IS NTRARY TO THE BARY TEGORI OF MALE AND FEMALE,” WH A PUNISHMENT OF UP TO TEN YEARS PRISON. ON MARCH 21, 2023 THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA APPROVED A BILL WH HARSHER PROVISNS AGAST HOMOSEXUAL RELATNSHIPS. THE BILL CLUS THE CHARG OF "AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALY" AND "ATTEMPTED HOMOSEXUALY" WH SENTENC OF UP TO 10 YEARS PRISON. ADDNAL SENTENC RELATED TO THE BILL CLU LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR GROOMG OR TRAFFICKG CHILDREN FOR PURPOS OF ENGAGG THEM HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVI AND EVEN THE ATH PENALTY FOR "AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALY", THAT IS SEXUAL ABE OF A CHILD, A PERSON WH DISABILY OR VULNERABLE PEOPLE, OR S WHERE A VICTIM OF HOMOSEXUAL ASSLT IS FECTED WH A LIFE-LONG ILLNS. FAY MEMBERS N BE CRIMALIZED FOR NOT TURNG RELATIVE THE BILL ALSO REQUIR ANY ONE TO REPORT ANY KNOWN LGBTQ+ PERSON TO THE THORI AND N PUNISH ANY PROPERTY OWNERS/LANDLORDS WHO PROVI HOG TO LGBTQ+ PERSONS IF THEIR PROPERTY IS ED AS A "BROTHEL" FOR HOMOSEXUAL ACTS OR ANY OTHER SEXUAL MORI RIGHTS' ACTIVI.ON 21 MARCH 2023, PARLIAMENT PASSED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL. THE DRAFT LAW PRCRIBED THE ATH PENALTY FOR "AGGRAVATED HOMOSEXUALS" (FN WHICH CLUS THOSE WHO ARE NVICTED OF HOMOSEXUALY MORE THAN ONCE AND THOSE WHO ENGAGE HOMOSEXUAL SEX WH A PERSON OLR THAN 75 OR WH A DISABLED PERSON) AND UP TO 20 YEARS PRISON FOR "PROMOTERS" OF HOMOSEXUALY.ON 21 APRIL, 2023 PRINT MEVENI SENT THE BILL BACK TO PARLIAMENT, WHICH PASSED AGA ON MAY 2, 2023 WH MOR AMENDMENTS BY A VOTE OF 348 TO 1. ON 29 MAY 2023, AFTER PARLIAMENT WATERED DOWN PRINT MEVENI SIGHED TO LAW. IT IS AMONG HE HARSHT ANTI-LGBTQ LAWS THE WORLD. HOMOSEXUAL ACTS ARE ALREADY ILLEGAL UGANDA BUT NOW ANYONE NVICTED FAC LIFE IMPRISONMENT.ON MAY 29, 2023, PRINT MEVENI SIGNED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY BILL TO LAW ON 29 MAY.

Even untri that hold the most tolerant views towards gay people, anti-LGBTQ vlence still occurs. In South Ai, where rponnts were among the most likely to hold tolerant views on homosexualy and where gay people have some of the most broad legal protectns Ai, s of homophobic vlence are well documented.

Ugandan Member of Parliament John Mira an anti-gay gown durg Anti-Homosexualy bill bate, March 21, 2023.

NO, UGANDA IS NOT MAKG ILLEGAL TO BE GAY (AGA)

A Whe Hoe spokperson said the bill reprents one of the most extreme actns taken agast the LGBTQ muny anywhere the world, and UN High Commissner for Human Rights Volker Türk said “will renr lbian, gay and bisexual people Uganda crimals simply for existg, for beg who they are”.