Amnesty urges Uganda leader to reject appalling' anti-LGBTQ bill

22/03/2023

Amnesty urges Uganda leader to reject appalling' anti-LGBTQ billAmnesty International urged Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni Wednesday to reject a tough anti-gay bill passed by parliament.

by Agence France-Presse

22-03-2023 13:19

in LGBTQIA

A Ugandan transgender woman who was recently attacked and currently being sheltered watches a TV screen showing the live broadcast of the session from the Parliament for the anti-gay bill, at a local charity supporting the LGBTQ Community near Kampala on March 21, 2023. Uganda's parliament was due to vote on March 21, 2023 on anti-gay legislation which proposes tough new penalties for same-sex relations in a country where homosexuality is already illegal.

Under the proposed law, anyone in the conservative East African nation who engages in same-sex activity or who identifies publicly as LGBTQ could face up to 10 years in prison. (Photo by STUART TIBAWESWA / AFP)

Amnesty International urged Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni Wednesday to reject a tough anti-gay bill passed by parliament, warning it was a grave assault on LGBTQ people.

--

Ugandan lawmakers hastily passed the bill on Tuesday evening ordering harsh penalties for anyone who engages in same-sex activity.

Homosexuality is already illegal in the conservative East African nation and it was not immediately clear what new penalties had been agreed.

This ambiguous, vaguely worded law even criminalises those who promote' homosexuality, Amnesty's east and southern Africa director, Tigere Chagutah, said.

--

ALSO READ | Canada moves to expunge historical abortion laws

Lawmakers amended significant portions of the original draft legislation with all but one speaking in favour of the bill.

Institutionalise discrimination' MP Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, a member of Museveni's National Resistance Movement, party who spoke against the bill, told AFP that offenders would face life imprisonment or even the death penalty for aggravated offences.

--

Amnesty said Museveni must urgently veto this appalling legislation , adding that it would institutionalise discrimination, hatred, and prejudice against the LGBTQ community.

ALSO READ | Uganda anti-LGBTIQ bill: Museveni calls gay people deviants

The discussion about the bill in parliament has been laced with homophobic language and Museveni himself last week referred to gay people as these deviants .

Nevertheless, the 78-year-old leader has consistently signalled he does not view the issue as a priority, and would prefer to maintain good relations with Western donors and investors.

Uganda is notorious for its intolerance of homosexuality which was criminalised under colonial-era laws.

ALSO READ | Burundi charges 24 people with homosexual practices'

But since independence from Britain in 1962 there has never been a conviction for consensual same-sex activity.

Previous same-sex bill In 2014, Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill that called for life in prison for people caught having gay sex.

A court later struck down the law on a technicality, but it had already sparked international condemnation, with some Western nations freezing or redirecting millions of dollars of government aid in response.

ALSO READ | Steve Hofmeyr pays R100 000 fine over LGBTQIA hate speech

Last week, police said they had arrested six men for practising homosexuality in the southern lakeside town of Jinja.

Another six men were arrested on the same charge on Sunday, according to police.

Agence France-Presse

SOAPIE QUIZ: How well do you know Gqeberha: The Empire'? ENTER HERE & WIN R1 000 in cash!

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/lgbtqia/amnesty-urges-uganda-l...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026