Uganda Weighing Life Imprisonment for Gays

Legislation that critics call the “Kill the Gays” law is under deliberation by a Ugandan parliament committee. It could make homosexual acts punishable by life in prison and add penalties for those who “aid and abet” homosexual activity. The law had initially contained a provision making the death penalty a legal punishment for gay Ugandans. International human rights organizations have mobilized against this despicable bill, working to keep the parliament from voting before its session comes to a close at the end of this week.  —KDG

The Associated Press:

The bill was first proposed in 2009 but made little progress after a storm of criticism over a death penalty provision in the original bill. A committee meeting last Friday was its first public airing since its proposal 18 months ago.

The bill’s author, David Bahati, told The Associated Press last month that the death penalty provision in the bill was “something we have moved away from”. The bill is now undergoing debate and negotiations, so a new version would likely be presented before a final vote is held.

One of the bill’s backers, an anti-gay pastor named Martin Ssempa, told the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Monday that he does not support the death penalty provision. He said instead that gays should face up to seven years in prison.

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AfricanVeil.org

Gay rights activists protest in front of the Ugandan Embassy in London in 2009.