Uganda (Common Wealth) _ In defiance of Western condemnations and probable aid donor sanctions, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda signed one of the most anti-LGBTQ laws in the world, which includes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”.
Same-sex relationships are prohibited in more than 30 African nations, including Uganda, but the new law specifically targets lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons.
It provides a 20-year term for “promoting” homosexuality and prescribes the death penalty for certain behaviors, including engaging in gay intercourse when HIV-positive.
A Ugandan rights activist named Clare Byarugaba claimed that “the president of Uganda has today legalized state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia.” “It’s a very dark and sad day for the LGBTIQ community, our allies, and all of Uganda.”
She and other activists have threatened to file a lawsuit challenging the law, which Museveni was shown signing with a golden pen at his desk in a picture tweeted by the president of Uganda. Homosexuality is described by the 78-year-old leader as a “deviation from normal.”
After some aid was originally withheld, visa restrictions were put in place, and security cooperation was reduced by Western nations, a less restrictive anti-LGBTQ law from 2014 was overturned by a domestic court on procedural grounds.
Uganda receives annual foreign aid worth billions of dollars and may now be subject to additional penalties.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria released a joint statement saying The law “in grave jeopardy” Uganda’s anti-HIV campaign.
The U.S. government announced last month that it was analyzing the effects of the new legislation on activities under PEPFAR, its flagship HIV/AIDS program, in Uganda.
After the law’s initial passage in March, the European Union, the United Nations, and a group of multinational corporations, including Google, all denounced it.
Anita Among, the speaker of parliament, commended her colleagues on Monday after Museveni had asked MPs to withstand “pressure from the imperialists.”
She added in a statement, “I thank my colleagues the Members of Parliament with great humility for withstanding all the pressure from bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists for the sake of our country.”
The new law might inspire legislators to pursue similar measures in Tanzania and Kenya, two neighboring countries.
The LGBTQ community in Uganda is terrified; many have deleted their social media accounts and left their homes in search of safe havens.
Museveni had requested that lawmakers modify some clauses in the original draft before sending it back to them. The revised version clarified that it is not illegal to simply identify as LGBTQ and changed a provision requiring people to disclose homosexual activities to only require reporting when a minor is involved.
