Contents:
- UGANDAN PRINT SIGNS ANTI-GAY LAW THAT INCLUS DEATH PENALTY AS A PUNISHMENT
- ‘WE WILL HUNT YOU’: UGANDANS FLEE AHEAD OF HARSH ANTI-GAY LAW
- ‘I HAVE TO LIE LOW. I’M TOTALLY ON EDGE’: UGANDA’S CLUB SCENE FEARS ANTI-GAY LAW
UGANDAN PRINT SIGNS ANTI-GAY LAW THAT INCLUS DEATH PENALTY AS A PUNISHMENT
AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe legislatn is among the most rtrictive of s kd the world and was nmned by Wtern lears and the Uned Natns human rights Ugandan Parliament May durg the passage of an anti-gay bill. Lawmakers passed an earlier versn Lubowa/RtersThe print of Uganda signed a punive anti-gay bill on Monday that clus the ath penalty, enshrg to law an tensifyg crackdown agast L. People the nservative East Ain natn and dismissg wispread lls not to impose one of the world’s most rtrictive anti-gay law lls for life imprisonment for anyone who engag gay sex.
Anyone who tri to have same-sex relatns uld be liable for up to a law also cre the ath penalty for anyone nvicted of “aggravated homosexualy, ” a term fed as acts of same-sex relatns wh children or disabled people, those rried out unr threat or while someone is unnsc. The offense of “attempted aggravated homosexualy” rri a sentence of up to 14 legislatn is a major blow to efforts by the Uned Natns, Wtern ernments, civil society and rights groups that had implored the print, Yoweri Meveni, not to sign .
Homosexualy is already illegal Uganda, but the new law lls for far more strgent punishment and broans the list of law’s passage has stoked fear among L. Gay rights groups say hundreds of gay people — facg rejectn om their fai, discrimatn at work or mob jtice the streets — have reached out to them recent weeks seekg help.
‘WE WILL HUNT YOU’: UGANDANS FLEE AHEAD OF HARSH ANTI-GAY LAW
“There’s fear that this law will emboln many Ugandans to take the law to their hands, ” said Frank Mugisha, the most proment openly gay rights activist Uganda.
Stephen Samuel Kaziimba, the archbishop of the Church of Uganda, said Febary that gay groups were “recg our children to homosexualy.
”The sweepg anti-gay measure as a growg number of Ain untri — cludg Kenya and Ghana — nsir passg siar or even stricter Ugandan legislatn, known officially as the Anti-Homosexualy Act, was first passed by Parliament March.
‘I HAVE TO LIE LOW. I’M TOTALLY ON EDGE’: UGANDA’S CLUB SCENE FEARS ANTI-GAY LAW
Meveni sent back for amendments, seekg to make clear a distctn between beg gay and engagg gay sex.
Lawmakers did add language makg clear that anyone spected of beg a homosexual would not be punished unls they engaged same-sex rt of the law remaed the same, cludg mandatg a prison term of up to 20 years for anyone who promot homosexualy, a vague provisn that activists fear uld be ed to target agenci supportg L. ”ImagePrint Yoweri Meveni of Uganda has been power for almost four Nalwadda/Associated PrsAnyone younger than 18 nvicted of havg gay sex fac up to three years prison. The law, which also enurag the public to report any spected acts of homosexualy, ntas ambiguo language that mak difficult to who allows premis to be ed for same-sex relatns uld face up to seven years prison, and a person nvicted of homosexualy uld be sent for “rehabilatn.
Policians first drew up a siar measure 2009, but when was signed to law 2014, the urt stck down on procral over the past few years, polil lears, along wh domtic and ternatnal relig anizatns, began rampg up anti-gay mpaigns and warng about what they ll a threat to fay valu. Policians also began makg basels claims about a plot to promote gay activi and lure children schools to homosexualy. Last year, the thori shut down Sexual Mori Uganda, a leadg gay rights advocy group, claimg had not been officially registered wh the ernment.