Ugandan President Signs Anti-Gay Legislation With Death Penalty: The President of Uganda has officially enacted anti-gay legislation, which is strongly criticized by human rights advocates and those outside of Uganda.
The President Yoweri Museveni-signed bill does not criminalize LGBTQ+ people, which is a major issue for some rights activists who criticized an earlier draft of the legislation as a flagrant violation of human rights.
But the new law still prescribes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as minors and other categories of vulnerable people.
A suspect convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality” can be imprisoned for up to 14 years, according to the legislation.
Parliamentary Speaker Anita Among said in a statement that the president had “answered the cries of our people” by signing the bill.
“With a lot of humility, I thank my colleagues, the Members of Parliament, for withstanding all the pressure from bullies and doomsday conspiracy theorists in the interest of our country,” the statement said.
In April, Museveni sent the law back to the national legislature with a request for amendments that would make a distinction between identifying as LGBTQ+ and actually committing gay conduct. That infuriated some members, particularly those who thought the president might reject the bill in the future under pressure from abroad. Earlier in May, lawmakers approved a bill with changes.
The United States had threatened economic repercussions over the measure, which Amnesty International called “draconian and overly broad.” In a statement from the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden referred to the new law as “a tragic violation of universal human rights—one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people and one that jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country.”
“I join with people around the world—including many in Uganda—in calling for its immediate repeal. No one should have to live in constant fear for their life or be subjected to violence and discrimination. It is wrong,” Biden said.