Outright International Condemns Passage of Uganda's Repressive Anti-Homosexuality Law

New York, New York - March 23, 2023 - Outright International has noted with regret the passage by Uganda's parliament on March 22 of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. It's now up to President Yoweri Museveni to sign the bill into law. This next step would further entrench state-sanctioned discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the East African nation, who already face up to life in prison under the Penal Code currently in effect. The bill, which seeks to build on the original 2014 Anti-Homosexuality Act-later ruled invalid on procedural grounds-steamrolls over the right to freedom of expression, freedom of association, privacy, and non-discrimination The renewed effort to criminalize same-sex relationships and support for LGBTQ people's human rights feels like a loaded gun aimed at the lives and livelihoods of Ugandan LGBTQ people.

"This bill is an undisguised assault on the fundamental human rights of LGBTQ people, their friends, family members, and other allies. It even criminalizes journalists, publishers, and human rights defenders who recognize LGBTQ people's rights, landlords who rent premises to them, and development partners and donors who support their advocacy in pursuit of full equality."

"If signed into law, members of the LGBTIQ community will face losing their jobs, being evicted from their homes, and losing access to affirming healthcare services. People convicted under this legislation will be placed on record as sex offenders which they'd have to disclose. Under this law, the death penalty has been reserved for so-called "aggravated" homosexuality, including for "serial offenders" who are convicted repeatedly for consensual same-sex acts.

"The passage of the bill follows the government's closure of the human rights organization Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) in August 2022, and the refusal to register several other organizations that work to advance LGBTQ people's human rights. The Ugandan government also threatened in February 2023 to close the UN Human Rights office in the country, seeking to silence the voices of allies.

The build-up to the passing of this bill was infused with homophobic rhetoric which further makes LGBTIQ people vulnerable to violence, exclusion, and isolation, as our partners on the ground report. Outright calls on President Museveni to immediately veto the bill. We pledge our support to Ugandan activists who sacrifice their safety to defend human rights and we call on more support to ensure these activists' safety in their quest to prevent this odious bill from becoming law.