Uganda president don expand im anti-LGBTQ law to make am tougher for same-sex relationships.
Di new law sanction death penalty for wetin e describe as aggravated or worse cases wey include gay sex wit pesin wey dey below 18 years or wia pesin dey infected with a life-long illness wey include HIV.
President Yoweri Museveni bin sign di Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law afta parliament water am down.
Before dis new law, Uganda bin still dey among kontris for world wit di harshest anti-LGBTQ laws.
Homosexuality already dey illegal for Uganda before now wit possibility of life imprisonment.
Breakdown of di offences and jail terms
- Death penalty for pesin dem find guilty of aggravated homosexuality.
- Life imprisonment to pesin wey commit di offence of homosexuality upon conviction.
- 10 years to pesins of di same sex wey marry, pesins wey attend di wedding and who preside over di ceremony.
- Life imprisonment for pesin wey recruit children into homosexuality.
- 20 years for pesin wey display, distribute or supply children wit homosexual materials.
- 14 years to pesin wey attempt aggravated homosexuality.
- 10 years to pesin wey dem find guilty say e attempt homosexuality.
- Seven years to owners of di premises dem find guilty say e dey promote homosexuality.
- Three years to any child dem find guilty of homosexuality.
- Fine and 10 years license revoke for any media house wey publish material wey dey promote homosexuality.
Fear of attacks and punishment
Sake of dis new law, more pipo don dey dey discouraged to go hospital due to fear of attacks and punishment.
United States and United Nations don warn say dis latest upgrade of di law go “seriously threaten” di progress of tackling HIV.
For one joint statement, three of di world leading health campaign groups – US President Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), UNAids and Global Fund – say dem dey deeply concerned about di “harmful impact” of di legislation.
“Uganda progress on im HIV response dey seriously threatened,” di statement tok.
“Di stigma and discrimination wey dey wit di passage of di Act don already lead to reduced access to prevention as well as treatment services,” e add.
Uganda lawmakers bin also face condemnation from campaign groups for di kontri, wey fit soon begin court action to cancel di law on di grounds say e dey discriminatory and violate di rights of LGBTQ+ pipo.
Uganda constitutional court bin strike out similar law for 2014.
Uganda rights activist Clare Byarugaba say na “very dark and sad day” for LGBTQ+ community, and all Uganda pipo, Reuters news agency report.
“Today, Uganda president don legalise state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia,” di activist add.
Parliamentary speaker Anita Among welcome Oga Museveni decision to sign di bill into law, saying e go “protect di sacredness of di family”.
“We don stand strong to defend di culture, values and aspirations of our pipo,” she add for one statement wey she post for Twitter.
Parliament bin pass di bill earlier dis month, na only one MP oppose am.
US don first warn Uganda of possible economic “repercussions” if dem enforce di law.
US na Uganda major trading partner. Di East African nation dey benefit from di African Growth and Opportunity Act, wey dey give am easier access to lucrative US markets.
US, UNAids and Global Fund don also play major part of supporting Uganda long time efforts to fight HIV/Aids.
By 2021, 89% of pipo wey dey live wit HIV for Uganda bin sabi dia status, more dan 92% of dem bin dey collect antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of pipo wey dey on treatment bin dey virally suppressed, dem tok for statement.
“Togeda as one, we call make dem reconsider di Act so dat Uganda fit continue on im path to ensure equitable access to health services and end Aids as public health threat by 2030,” di statement tok.
