TL;DR

• Uganda police arrested two women for allegedly “openly kissing.”
• The arrests fall under Uganda’s extreme Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023.
• The law includes life imprisonment and even the death penalty for “aggravated” cases.
• Police allege “queer and unusual acts” dating back a year.
• A previous aggravated homosexuality case was dropped after the accused was found mentally unfit.

Uganda Police Arrest Two Women for ‘Kissing’ Under Harsh Anti-Gay Law

Criminalized for Affection in Broad Daylight

Uganda is back in the global spotlight — and not for reasons that make anyone proud. Police announced the arrest of two young women after they were allegedly caught “openly kissing” in Arua City, a moment of affection now treated as a criminal act under the East African nation’s brutal Anti-Homosexuality Act. The pair — a 22-year-old entertainer and her 21-year-old unemployed friend — were detained on Feb. 18 after authorities accused them of taking part in “queer and unusual acts believed to be sexual in nature,” offenses police claim began last year.

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, rammed through in 2023 despite sweeping international condemnation, stands as one of the world’s most draconian anti-LGBTQ laws. It carries life in prison for same-sex intercourse and reserves the death penalty for so-called “aggravated” cases — a category so broad it includes repeat offenses, sexual transmission of terminal illness, or cases involving minors, elders, or people with disabilities. In other words, the law is tailor-made to terrorize queer Ugandans and keep them silent, scared, and surveilled.

A Legal System Weaponized Against Queer Lives

This isn’t the first time the law has made international headlines. Earlier this month, a Ugandan court quietly dropped the country’s first aggravated homosexuality charge after the defendant was deemed mentally unfit following prolonged detention. But rather than signaling a softening of enforcement, the latest arrests show authorities are doubling down — and willing to treat even consensual affection as evidence of criminality.

The police statement reads like something out of a dystopian novel, framing a kiss as a threat to public order. The message is clear: intimacy itself is now evidence. LGBTQ Ugandans already face ostracism, violence, and rampant discrimination, and this law gives moral cover to vigilantes and police alike.

Impact on the LGBTQ Community

For queer Ugandans, life has become a minefield. This law doesn’t just punish identity — it criminalizes love, safety, and visibility. Young women kissing should be a sweet moment of self-expression; instead, it became grounds for arrest. The chilling effect is enormous: LGBTQ people can’t safely seek medical care, form relationships, or gather socially. Every interaction becomes a risk.

Worse, the legislation emboldens a culture of fear where neighbors, coworkers, even family members may weaponize suspicion. Uganda’s LGBTQ community has long shown resilience — forming underground networks, community kitchens, safe houses, and online spaces — but the state is tightening the noose in ways designed to break that spirit.

The international community has a clear obligation here: pressure works, and silence is a luxury queer Ugandans cannot afford. Criminalizing love is the oldest page in the authoritarian playbook — and it’s one the world must refuse to normalize.