The Ugandan Parliament passed a law on Tuesday that provides for Harsh penalties for people who have homosexual relationships. “win the yes”, announced the president of the Chamber, Annet Anita Amongafter the final vote, stressing that “the law was adopted in record time”.
The deputies considerably amended the initial text, which provided for sentences of up to ten years in prison for people who carried out acts considered homosexual or claimed to be part of the LGBT+ community, in a country where homosexuality is already illegal. The extent of the new sentences is unknown at this time.
“This House will not hesitate to restrict any right to the extent that it recognizes, protects and safeguards the sovereignty of this country and its morals,” Among said.
The law must now be sanctioned by the president Yoweri Museveniwhich may promulgate it or impose its veto.
This vote in Uganda comes in full wave of homophobia in East Africawhere homosexuality is illegal and often considered a crime.
President Museveni, in power since 1986, last week described homosexual people as “deviated”. A few days later Ugandan police arrested six people for “homosexual practice”.
Uganda has a strict anti-homosexuality legislationinherited from British colonial laws, although since its independence in 1962 there have been no convictions for consensual sexual practices between people of the same gender.
The 2014 attempt to pass a law providing for life imprisonment for such relationships was ultimately blocked by the Ugandan court.
The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkenindicated that “the Anti-Homosexuality Act passed by the Parliament of Uganda would undermine the fundamental human rights of all Ugandans and could reverse gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS.”
“We urge the Ugandan government to strongly reconsider the implementation of this legislation,” he added in a message on his Twitter account.
(With information from AFP)
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