Ugandan parliament passes law banning citizens from identifying as LGBTQ
Ugandan lawmakers have passed a law that provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for identifying as LGBTQ+, among other things.
The new legislation is yet another crackdown on LGBTQ+ people in a country where same-sex relations are already illegal. It targets a range of activities, including prohibiting the promotion and encouragement of homosexuality as well as conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.
Reuters reported that opposition lawmaker Asuman Basalirwa introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 to parliament, saying the bill aims to “protect our church culture; the legal, religious and traditional family values of Ugandans from acts likely to foster sexual promiscuity in that country.
Basalirwa said Tuesday, March 21;
“The purpose of the bill was to establish comprehensive and strengthened legislation to protect traditional family values, our diverse culture, our beliefs, by prohibiting all forms of same-sex sexual relations and the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between people. of the same sex. »
Lawmaker Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, however, spoke out against the bill, saying it “contravenes established international and regional human rights standards” because it “unfairly limits the fundamental rights of LGBTQ+ people”. .
The bill is expected to eventually go to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni for approval. Last week, Museveni called gay people “deviant”.
Uganda made headlines in 2009 when it introduced an anti-homosexuality bill that included a death sentence for same-sex activity.
The country’s lawmakers passed a bill in 2014, but replaced the death penalty clause with a proposed life sentence. This law was eventually overturned.
