The Ugandan parliament should reject the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that has been the subject of public hearings in recent days before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. The Parliamentary Order Paper of 10 May indicates that the Bill could be debated by the Parliament and come up for a vote on May 11.
The bill would introduce the death penalty as a sanction for some consensual sex between members of the same sex, the same penalty provided for terrorism and treason. It would be an offense for a person who is aware of any violations of the bill’s provisions not to report them to the relevant authorities within 24 hours. The bill also would criminalize the “promotion of homosexuality,” which would jeopardize the legitimate work of national and international activists and organizations working to defend and promote human rights in Uganda.
One clause would require Uganda, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, to withdraw from all international legal instruments that contradict the provisions of the bill. As the bill is inconsistent with the right of non-discrimination, among others, this would in effect mean that Uganda should withdraw from all human rights treaties, the groups said. “It is deeply alarming that the Ugandan parliament is again considering this appalling bill, which flies in the face of human decency and violates international human rights law,” said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Africa.
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