![]() People engaged in same-sex relationships or marriage could face 10 years in jail, while a charge of what the bill calls "aggravated homosexuality" carries a sentence of life imprisonment and even the death penalty. In addition to identifying as LGBTQ, the bill makes it an imprisonable offence to publish, broadcast or distribute content that advocates for gay rights. "Many people who are now having conversations that are homophobic, happening in their families, are having so many thoughts of suicide, so many thoughts of self-hate. "It has taken a mental toll on so many people individually," they said. Nsubuga, a clinical psychologist by profession, is already seeing a rise in mental health concerns within the community. Ugandan men hold a rainbow flag that reads: 'Join hands to end LGBTI (called Kuchu in Uganda) genocide,' during a 2014 pride parade. This law means that, literally, I am not a human being in this country." "For me, personally, this law means that I have to change my life upside down," Nsubuga said. Concerns within the communityĪlthough the bill is pending presidential approval, Allan Nsubuga, a human rights activist and member of Uganda's gay community, says people are concerned with what lies ahead. Supporters of the new law said it is needed to punish a broader array of LGBTQ activities that they say threaten traditional values in the conservative and religious nation. ![]() Tanzania's anti-homosexuality purge is making Ottawa anxiousĪ week leading up to the parliamentary vote, President Yoweri Museveni - who has a record of passing policies targeted at the LGBTQ community - described homosexuality as a "deviation from normal," adding that "Western countries should stop wasting the time of humanity by trying to impose their practices on other people.".The critic was beaten, detained and charged for "offensive communication."ĪS IT HAPPENS Ugandan activist vows to keep speaking out despite new law that bans identifying as LGBTQ In one example Nyeko pointed to, a report by Human Rights Watch details how military officers broke into the home of a government critic and satirical writer over tweets criticizing Uganda's president and his son. Reports of corruption, restriction of free speech and the unlawful arrests of opposition leaders and critics are among many issues that continue to plague Uganda. "It's being framed as something that's foreign and threatening to people's children." "It's low-hanging fruit," Nyeko, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, told The Current 's Matt Galloway. Same-sex acts are already prohibited in Uganda under the country's penal code, but on Tuesday, all but two of Uganda's 389 members of parliament voted to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 - a law that criminalizes identifying as LGBTQ. Laws and debates focused on LGBTQ people in Uganda and other surrounding countries are often used by politicians to distract the public from pressing issues, says researcher Oryem Nyeko. The Current 15:15 Anti-gay laws in Uganda
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