Ugandan human rights activists are calling for sanctions against authorities in the East African country after the enactment of a “anti-homosexuality law” who, according to them, “legalizes homophobia and transphobia”.
President Yoweri Museveni approved this law, considered one of the most repressive in the world despite warnings from his international partners.
baptized “Anti-homosexuality law 2023”the text provides for heavy penalties for people having homosexual relations and making the « promotion » of homosexuality. A crime of“aggravated homosexuality” is punishable by death, a penalty which has however not been applied for years in Uganda.
The fight against HIV impacted
“This is a key moment for interested parties, such as the US and the EU, to move forward with sanctions against Ugandans implicated in human rights abuses”calls a coalition of human rights organizations in a statement released Monday evening.
This law “dangerous and discriminatory” criminalise “any defense of the rights of Ugandans LGBTQ+, punishing such legitimate work with up to 20 years in prison”write these organizations. “It will destroy the fight against HIV”they add.
“The criminalization and suppression of the legitimate defense of human rights is unacceptable in a true democracy”Clare Byarugaba of Chapter Four Uganda, one of the coalition organizations, said in the statement.
« Relations compromises »
“Despite our concerted efforts to prevent passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, the President has legalized homophobia and transphobia under state sponsorship”, believes Frank Mugisha, director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, also a member of the coalition. This coalition filed an appeal before the Ugandan Constitutional Court.
This promulgation sparked an international wave of indignation. The UN Secretary General is ” very worried “ et “calls on member states to respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”said his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric on Tuesday.
“He again calls on all countries to decriminalize consensual same-sex relationships with transgender people. To be clear, no one should be penalized, imprisoned, for whom they love”he insisted.
Biden denounces a “tragic violation” of human rights
US President Joe Biden, denouncing a “tragic injury” to human rights, for his part declared that he had asked his administration to study the consequences of this law “shameful” on “all aspects of cooperation between the United States and Uganda”.
US authorities are considering “additional measures”such as penalties or restrictions on entry into their territory for “anyone associated with human rights violations or acts of corruption”he added.
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, denounced a law “contrary to human rights”. “The Ugandan government has an obligation to protect all its citizens and uphold their basic rights. Failure to do so will jeopardize relations with international partners.”he said.
A first law canceled in 2014
In 2014, donors had already reduced their aid after the passage of a law repressing homosexuality in the country. Washington had notably suspended funding for government programs and imposed visa bans. EU countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, etc.) had also frozen part of their bilateral aid. The law had finally been canceled by the constitutional court for a technical defect during the vote.
The supporters of the “anti-homosexuality law 2023” said on Monday they expected to see cuts in Western funding. “They are going to cut aid to Uganda”declared Asuman Basalirwa to the press, a parliamentarian at the initiative of the text, believing that the country should turn to new “development partners”especially in the Arab world.
The law enjoys broad popular support and opposition reactions have been rare in the country, ruled with an iron fist since 1986 by Yoweri Museveni. While there have been no recent prosecutions for homosexual acts, harassment and intimidation are the daily life of homosexuals in Uganda, where an evangelical Christianity hostile to the LGBTQ + movement has developed.
Source : Nouvelobs
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