December 8, 2009

Worldwide Protest Planned Against Uganda’s Proposed Antigay Bill

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) has called for worldwide protest of the proposed Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill on International Human Rights Day, December 10, reports SW Radio Africa.

Under the bill, which is currently before Uganda’s parliament, the minimum punishment for anyone convicted of performing homosexual acts is life in prison; if the accused person is HIV positive, a serial offender, “a person of authority” over the other partner or if the partner is younger than 18, the penalty is death.

The worldwide protest is being coordinated and supported by the Gay Activists Alliance International (GAAI), Gay Uganda, Ugandan LGBT exiles and London-based OutRage!, an LGBT human rights groups.

“The bill is likely to be detrimental to the fight against HIV/AIDS by denying gay and bisexual men access to condoms and safer-sex advice and driving countless numbers of them further underground. It will create even more stigma, discrimination and oppression,” said Dennis Hambridge, GAAI global coordinator.

For those unable to attend the protests, coordinators are requesting citizens to write the Ugandan High Commissioner, Joan Rwabyomere, and urge him to drop the legislation.

Search: Uganda, antigay, International Human Rights Day, Sexual Minorities Uganda, protest

Scroll down to comment on this story.

Previous Comments: