On Tuesday, Uganda’s parliament passed one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ bills, despite widespread condemnation from the international community. The new bill retains most of the provisions of the legislation adopted in March, including a death penalty for so-called “aggravated homosexuality”. This term is used by the government to describe actions such as having gay sex while being HIV-positive. Additionally, promoting homosexuality carries a sentence of 20 years, which could effectively criminalize any advocacy for the rights of LGBTQ citizens.
The bill now goes back to President Yoweri Museveni, who can sign, veto, or return it to parliament. Museveni, a vocal opponent of LGBTQ rights, has indicated his intention to sign the bill after certain changes are made, including the addition of measures to “rehabilitate” gay people. However, it is unclear if the new bill satisfies his requests, and his office has not yet commented.
The legislation was amended to state that merely identifying as LGBTQ is not a crime, and revised a measure that previously required people to report homosexual activity to only require reporting when a child is involved. However, human rights activist Adrian Jjuuko dismissed the first amendment as “useless”, citing the routine arrest and harassment of LGBTQ individuals by law enforcement.
Uganda already has laws that criminalize same-sex relations, and members of the LGBTQ community routinely face arrest and harassment. The passage of this bill has triggered a wave of arrests, evictions, and mob attacks. Proponents of the bill allege, without evidence, that LGBTQ Ugandans are recruiting children into homosexuality.
Western governments have previously suspended aid, imposed visa restrictions, and curtailed security cooperation in response to an earlier anti-LGBTQ law that Museveni signed in 2014. That law was nullified by a domestic court on procedural grounds. The US government has said it is assessing the implications of the looming law for activities in Uganda under its HIV/AIDS program.
The passage of this bill is a major setback for LGBTQ rights and human rights in Uganda. It is also a concerning development for the wider fight against discrimination and persecution of LGBTQ individuals around the world.