The law toughening the prosecution of homosexuals in Uganda was signed into law on Monday, the presidency announced, despite the outrage it has sparked from many NGOs and Western governments. If a revision of the text had been called for in response to pressure from the international community, it still includes a provision making “aggravated homosexuality” a capital crime, which means that repeat offenders can be sentenced to death.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has signed into law the “anti-homosexuality” law which provides for heavy penalties for same-sex relations and the “promotion” of homosexuality, despite outrage from numerous NGOs and threats from Western governments.
“The President has approved the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023. It now becomes the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023,” the Ugandan Presidency announced in a brief statement posted on its official Twitter account.
The adoption of this bill in Parliament on March 21 caused an international outcry. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, denounced a “discriminatory text – probably the worst in the world of its kind”.
President Museveni had asked parliamentarians at the end of April to “re-examine” the text and to clarify that “being homosexual” was not a crime, but that only sexual relations were.
In a version modified at the margin and voted unanimously minus one vote on May 2, the elected officials had included in the text that “a person who is presumed or suspected of being homosexual, who has not committed sexual act with another person of the same sex, does not commit the offense of homosexuality”.
Read also In Uganda, the Parliament approves the anti-LGBT law and the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”
‘Aggravated homosexuality’ punishable by death
In this East African country where homosexuality is illegal, “acts of homosexuality” are punishable by life imprisonment since a law dating from British colonization.
In the new version of the text, the parliamentarians however maintained, against the opinion of the Head of State, a provision making “aggravated homosexuality” a capital crime, which means that repeat offenders may be sentenced to death. In Uganda, the death penalty has not been applied for years.
A provision on the “promotion” of homosexuality also worries gay rights organizations. According to the text, anyone – individual or organization – “knowingly promotes homosexuality” faces up to twenty years in prison. If it is an organization, it risks a ten-year ban.
This new version of the text had been condemned by Amnesty International. The NGO had asked President Museveni to oppose this “contemptuous law (which) flagrantly violates the human rights of LGBT + people in Uganda”.
After the initial vote on March 21, the US, UK and EU condemned the bill. The White House had warned Uganda of potential economic “consequences”.
In a resolution on April 20, MEPs deplored “President Museveni’s contribution to the rhetoric of hatred against” LGBT+ people.
The President of Parliament, Anita Among, welcomed Monday the promulgation of the text by Yoweri Museveni, who himself regularly describes homosexuality as “deviance”. “As Uganda’s parliament, we have heeded the concerns of our people and legislated to protect the sanctity of the family… We have stood firm in defending the culture, values and aspirations of our people,” she said in a statement.
This law enjoys broad popular support and opposition reactions have been rare in this country ruled with an iron fist since 1986 by Yoweri Museveni, where the repression against civil society, lawyers and activists has increased these years, according to many human rights organisations.
Homophobia is widespread in Uganda, as across the rest of East Africa. While there have been no recent prosecutions for homosexual acts, harassment and intimidation are the daily life of homosexuals in Uganda, where an evangelical Christianity has developed that is vehement towards the LGBT+ movement.
With AFP
Source: France 24
