Uganda’s LGBTQ community continues to face persecution under the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA)
Since the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) in Uganda in May 2023, sexual minorities in the country have been subjected to a disturbing rise in human rights violations. A report by the pressure group Convening for Equality (CFE) details a staggering number of abuses targeting LGBTQ+ Ugandans. The report documented over 1,250 rights violations committed between September 2023 and May 2024. This disturbing trend represents a significant increase from the 306 violations documented between January and August 2023.
Systematic Abuses Targeting LGBTQ+ Ugandans
The CFE report outlines a harrowing range of abuses targeting LGBTQ+ individuals in Uganda. These violations include torture, arbitrary arrests, evictions, and physical assaults. The report blames the alarming surge in rights violations on the spread of misinformation portraying LGBTQ+ people as a threat to society, particularly children.
“Known and/or perceived LGBTQ+ persons were arrested, tortured, beaten, exposed, including evictions and banishment, blackmail, loss of employment, and health service disruptions,” the report said. “This was sustained by frequent fake and false news shared on different platforms and a sustained campaign to paint LGBTQ+ persons … as persons who are out there to recruit children into homosexuality.”
International Condemnation and Stalled Sanctions
The Ugandan government has remained silent on the CFE report’s findings, despite repeated requests for comment. The enactment of the AHA has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community. The international community’s response has included sanctions against Uganda from the United States and other Western nations. The World Bank has also taken a stand, halting all new lending to the country.
In a partial victory for LGBTQ+ rights advocates, Uganda’s constitutional court partially upheld the AHA in April 2024. The court’s decision voided sections of the law that violated rights to health and property. However, the core of the law, which criminalizes same-sex relationships and imposes harsh penalties, including life imprisonment and even the death penalty, remains intact.
LGBTQ+ Ugandans Face Uncertain Future
The future for LGBTQ+ Ugandans remains uncertain. The AHA casts a long shadow, creating a climate of fear and persecution. Moreover, the documented surge in human rights violations suggests that the law has emboldened rights abusers and driven a wedge between LGBTQ+ Ugandans and their communities.
The international community must continue to pressure the Ugandan government to repeal the AHA and uphold the basic human rights of all its citizens, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Ugandan civil society organizations also have a crucial role to play in raising awareness about LGBTQ+ rights and advocating for equality.
Source: ReutersÂ
