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

Contents:

• KAMPALA
• 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.
• GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN KAMPALA, UGANDA
• UGANDA'S ANTI-GAY LAW: HOW RTRICTED ARE LGBTQ RIGHTS AI?
• GAY AND PROUD UGANDA
• NO, UGANDA IS NOT MAKG ILLEGAL TO BE GAY (AGA)

KAMPALA

Text 'GAYTRAVEL' to 1-800-GAY-TRAVEL (1-800-429-8728). — Travel Guis wh a Gay Perspective.

Parliamentary bate and public discsn on the Bill igned homophobic and transphobic fervor leadg to attacks on the LGBTQ+ muny. 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”.

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.

In July, a well-known gay activist was murred. 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.

GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN KAMPALA, UGANDA

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' 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 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.

Homosexual acts are already illegal Uganda but now anyone nvicted fac life May 29, 2023, Print Meveni signed the Anti-Homosexualy Bill to law on 29 the Act:The maximum penalty for homosexual acts is life imprisonment, while the maximum penalty for attempted homosexual acts is imprisonment for 10 years.

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

Furthermore, people nvicted of homosexualy or attempted homosexualy nnot be employed childre facili even after maximum penalty for "aggravated homosexualy" is ath, while the maximum penalty for attempted "aggravated homosexualy" is imprisonment for 14 years. Furthermore, people nvicted of aggravated homosexualy or attempted aggravated homosexualy nnot nnot be employed childre facili even after release.

Aggravated homosexualy is fed as sexual terurse wh a person olr than 75 or younger than 18, a person not nsentg or unable to nsent, or a disabled or mentally ill person. Serial offenrs (meang those who were nvicted of homosexualy multiple tim) are also fed as "aggravated homosexuals" maximum penalty for mors nvicted of homosexualy is imprisonment for 3 maximum penalty for knowgly rentg premis to people who wish to engage homosexual acts on such a premise is imprisonment for 10 maximum penalty for promotg homosexualy is imprisonment for 20 maximum penalty for sharg homosexual pornography wh a mor is imprisonment for 20 maximum penalty for recment or transportatn of a child to facilate homosexual sex is imprisonment for maximum penalty for "purportg to ntract a same-sex marriage", as well as for knowgly attendg a purpoted same-sex marriage ceremony is imprisonment for 10 maximum penalty for failg to report a wnsed homosexual act is imprisonment for 5 years.

Lawyers actg their official pacy are exempt om this maximum penalty for falsely accg another person of homosexualy is imprisonment for 1 year. The NGO Bure has emphasized that the ernment should “prehensively crimalize” activi that promote homosexualy the untry and lay down strgent requirements for registratn of civil society Organisatns, a leaked report reveals, and that “Individuals lked to anizatns volved promotg LGBTQ+ activi should be profiled and mechanisms put place to prevent them om formg other Organisatns for siar purpose.

GAY AND PROUD UGANDA

This past year, lears, staff members, and nsortium members of anizatns that we support have been arrted for the “promotn of homosexualy” and have perdilly had to go to hidg. As the anti-homosexualy bill has movg through the parliament the past few months, members of the LGBTQ+ muny were beg dismissed om their jobs, rejected by their fai, and ma homels by their is sendg funds to Uganda to provi for emergency shelter, food, medil re, travel support, and legal NOW: Help LGBTQ+ UgandaN’s achieve hope, safety, and digny. Both male and female homosexual activy are illegal Uganda.

Homosexual relatns were accepted and monplace pre-lonial Ugandan society. The Brish Empire troduced laws punishg homosexualy when Uganda beme a Brish lony.

The laws were kept after Anti-Homosexualy Act, which prcrib up to 20 years prison for "promotn of homosexualy" and the ath penalty for "aggravated homosexualy", me to force 2023, makg Uganda the first and only Christian-majory untry to punish some typ of nsensual same-sex acts wh the ath penalty. The lawsu acc Lively of vlatg ternatnal law by nspirg to persecute the Ugandan LGBT lled for the crimalizatn of “the public advocy of homosexualy” as far back as 2007. The agenda was anti-LGBTQ; Lively and his lleagu portrayed the gay movement as an anti-Christian stutn that was aimed at unrmg Ugandan society and the tradnal Ain fay.

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

Meetg topics clud how to make gay people straight and how the homosexual agenda was to attack heterosexual marriage and replace wh a culture of sexual promiscuy. They also are said to have rulted the troductn of the Anti-Homosexual bill which Lively allegedly helped first-of-s-kd lawsu alleg that Lively's actns, llaboratn wh some Ugandan ernment officials and Ugandan relig lears, are rponsible for privg LGBT Ugandans of their fundamental human rights based solely on their inty, which the lawsu argu meets the fn of persecutn unr ternatnal law and is a crime agast has lled the claims “ridiculo” and stated, "I've never done anythg Uganda except preach the Gospel and speak my opn about the homosexual issue.

" Lively’s Abidg Tth Mistri has been listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-gay hate group. Lively was also a founr of Latvia-based group Watchmen on the Walls which is listed as a hate group by the SPLC, which nsirs "a vilently anti-gay group". By CountryBy Year FoundA list of LGBT anizatns and groups Mori UgandaSexual Mori Uganda [SM-UG] is a non-prof, non-ernmental anisatn that works towards achievg full legal and social equaly for lbian, gay, bisexual…The Youth Empowerment Foundatn-TYEFThe youth Empowerment Foundatn (TYEF) is a Non- Governmental Organizatn that was formed 2009, and not yet registered.

A topic that has arisen on more than one ocsn as we talk to people about the Uganda Marathon is the attus to homosexualy the untry. In the last few years, Uganda has received a fair amount of bad prs this area, largely due to the Uganda Anti-Homosexualy Act. The are the people and muni where many rejoiced at the succsful overturng of Anti-Homosexualy Act and are entirely unncerned about who you love, so long as you show the same rpect as you would any other untry.