Volker Turk, the U.N. High Commissioner for human rights, has urged the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni to block the anti-LGBTQ bill that prescribes harsh penalties for some homosexual offenses, including death and life imprisonment.
“The passing of this discriminatory bill, probably among the worst of its kind in the world, is a deeply troubling development,” Volker Turk noted in a statement on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
Uganda’s legislature passed the bill late Tuesday, March 22, 2023 in a protracted plenary session during which last-minute changes were made to the legislation that originally included penalties of up to 10 years in jail for homosexual offenses.
In the version passed by lawmakers, the offense of “aggravated homosexuality” now carries the death penalty. Aggravated homosexuality applies in cases of sex relations involving those infected with HIV as well as minors and other categories of vulnerable people.
According to the bill, a suspect convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality” can be jailed for 14 years, and the offense of “attempted homosexuality” is punishable by up to 10 years.
The offense of “homosexuality” is punishable by life imprisonment, the same punishment prescribed in a colonial-era penal code criminalizing sex acts “against the order of nature.”
The bill was introduced last month by an opposition lawmaker, Asuman Basalirwa who said that his goal was to punish “promotion, recruitment and funding” related to LGBTQ activities in the East African country where homosexuals are widely criticized.
The bill now goes to President Yoweri Museveni, who can veto or sign it into law. Museveni suggested in a recent speech that he supports the legislation, accusing unnamed Western nations of “trying to impose their practices on other people.”
“If signed into law by the President, it will render lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Uganda criminals simply for existing, for being who they are.
“It could provide carte blanche for the systematic violation of nearly all of their human rights and serve to incite people against each other.”
Volker Turk, the U.N. High Commissioner for human rights
Anti-Gay Sentiment Spreads In Uganda
Anti-gay sentiment in Uganda has grown in recent weeks amid alleged reports of sodomy in boarding schools, including a prestigious one for boys where a parent accused a teacher of abusing her son. Authorities are investigating that case.
The recent decision of the Church of England to bless civil marriages of same-sex couples also has inflamed many, including some who see homosexuality as imported from abroad.
Uganda’s LGBTQ community in recent years has faced growing pressure from civilian authorities who wanted a tough new law punishing same-sex activities.
The Ugandan agency overseeing the work of non-governmental organizations last year stopped the operations of Sexual Minorities Uganda, the most prominent LGBTQ organization in the country, accusing it of failing to register legally.
However, the group’s leader stated that his organization had been rejected by the Registrar of companies as undesirable.
Appalling, Ambiguous And Vaguely Worded
Amnesty International has called the bill, which criminalizes same-sex between consenting adults “appalling”, “ambiguous” and “vaguely worded”.
“This deeply repressive legislation will institutionalise discrimination, hatred, and prejudice against LGBTI people, including those who are perceived to be LGBTI and block the legitimate work of civil society, public health professionals, and community leaders. ”
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa.
An earlier version of the bill enacted in 2014 later was nullified by a court on procedural grounds. Human Rights Watch has described the legislation as “a more egregious version” of the 2014 law, which drew widespread international concern and was struck down amid pressure from Uganda’s development partners.
Homosexuality is criminalized in more than 30 of Africa’s 54 countries.
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