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

Contents:

• 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.
• 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.

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”. 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.

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

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' 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. 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.

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

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.

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.