UGANDA’S ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL INCITES INTERNATIONAL OUTRAGE

By Jonathan Duffy

450,000 people have shown support in an online petition against Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Homosexual acts are currently illegal in the African nation, however, if a recent bill is passed, Ugandans will see the introduction of the death penalty for some Homosexual acts.
Many world leaders have condemned the bill. US President Barack Obama called it “odious”. The European Union and Britain’s African Minister have also expressed disapproval for the bill.
Campaign Leader, Anglican priest Canon Gideon Byamugisha said that the prospect of the bill is “in severe breach of human rights.
HIV/Aids activists and civic organisations have joined Byamugisha to produce the petition, which they hope will get one million signatures.
A letter accompanying the petition to parliament read, “This is a bill that requires various members of community, family members, service providers and spiritual mentors to ‘spy’ on one another.”
If passed, the death penalty would be imposed on repeat offenders (already convicted of having gay sex), while first time offenders would be jailed for life, instead of the current 14-year term.
Those who fail to report homosexual activity, such as relatives, teachers, landlords or health workers, would also face prison sentences.
The petition has been delivered to Ugandan parliament and is awaiting scrutiny.
Under the legislation, the individuals who delivered the petition could face jail for failing to inform the authorities if somebody confided their homosexual activities to them.