Uganda’s parliament on Tuesday passed an amended version of an anti-gay law that has angered many Western NGOs and governments by imposing harsh penalties on same-sex relationships.
Amid an international outcry, President Yoweri Museveni on April 26 called on lawmakers to “reexamine” the document, urging them to clarify that “being gay” is not a crime, only sexual relations.
The new version of the text, revised by lawmakers, reads: “a person who is presumed or suspected to be homosexual, who has not committed a sexual act with another person of the same sex, does not commit the crime of homosexuality.”
In this country, where homosexuality is illegal, “homosexual acts” are still punishable by life imprisonment. This penalty has existed since British colonial law.
Lawmakers also reinforced, against the advice of the head of state, a clause making “aggravated homosexuality” a capital offense; meaning that repeat offenders could be sentenced to death.
The death penalty has not been used in Uganda for years. A provision to “promote” homosexuality also affects LGBT rights organizations.
Under the law, anyone — an individual or an organization — who “knowingly promotes homosexuality” can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. If it was an organization, it risked being banned for ten years.
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The duty to report, which carries a five-year prison sentence, is now limited to suspected sexual offenses against children and vulnerable people.
“We have a culture to protect. The Western world will not come and rule Uganda,” said the Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among, after the vote on the text, which was approved unanimously minus one vote.
The bill must now go back to the President, who may or may not sign it into law. If he sends it back to Parliament, a two-thirds “supermajority” would allow lawmakers to finally ratify the text.
Frank Mugisha, executive director of Uganda Sexual Minorities, an LGBT rights organization whose activities were suspended by authorities last year, doesn’t feel safe with this modified version.
He stressed that the unanimous vote on the text “shows the level of extremism and homophobia among MPs and puts LGBT people at greater risk”.
The law enjoys broad popular support and opposition reactions are rare in the country, which has been ruled with an iron fist by Yoweri Museveni since 1986, as repression of civil society, lawyers and activists has increased in recent years, according to several human rights defenders. organizations.
