Denounce the anti-homosexual bill in the Parliament of Uganda

Ugandan Humanists are calling for international support in protesting a proposed new anti-gay law that would introduce extraordinarily harsh punishments, including the death penalty for homosexual acts and prison for family who fail to inform the authorities of homosexual relatives.

The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009” was recently introduced to the Parliament of Uganda. The Bill’s draconian provisions include:

• Any person alleged to be homosexual would be at risk of life imprisonment or in some circumstances the death penalty;
• Any parent who does not denounce their lesbian daughter or gay son to the authorities would face fines of $2,650.00 or three years in prison;
• Any teacher who does not report a lesbian or gay pupil to the authorities within 24 hours would face the same penalties;
• And any landlord or landlady who happens to give housing to a suspected homosexual would risk seven years of imprisonment.

Similarly, the Bill threatens to punish or ruin the reputation of anyone who works with the gay or lesbian population, such as medical doctors working on HIV/AIDS, civil society leaders active in the fields of sexual and reproductive health, hence further undermining public health efforts to combat the spread of HIV.

All of the offences covered by the Bill as drafted can be applied to a Ugandan citizen who allegedly commits them—even outside Uganda!

The gay rights group Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) believes that the bill may become law unless there is an international outcry, and calls upon groups and individuals to contact the Ugandan Diplomatic Mission in their country to urge the Government of Uganda to reject this bill in its entirety.

See the attachment below for a detailed analysis of the bill issued by a coalition of human rights groups in Uganda. For help downloading or opening a PDF file, go to www.iheu.org/pdfhelp