Uganda Wants to Kill and Imprison Gay People

categories: Decriminalizing Homosexuality, HIV/AIDS, International Gay Rights

Published October 19, 2009 @ 06:19PM PT

Uganda Anti-LGBT

Someone might want to tell Uganda that when it comes to homosexuality, pursuing the death penalty is not only reminiscent of the middle ages, it's also a violation of basically every international human rights standard.

The country is currently debating a bill in Parliament that would essentially create death panels for LGBT people in the country. But don't let the Sarah Palin reference fool you -- this isn't something to take lightly.

If this bill passes Parliament, here's what life will look like for LGBT people in Uganda:

If you promote homosexuality in any form -- whether it's allowing LGBT people to meet in your space, if you give an LGBT person $2.00 for lunch, or you print a pamphlet that depicts LGBT people in a positive light -- you could get up to seven years in prison;

If someone fails to report the "promotion of homosexuality" within a 24-hour window, that person could be subject to up to three years in prison;

If you are HIV-positive and you have sex with someone of the same gender, you will be sentenced to death and killed;

If you decide to hold an LGBT rights rally or publicly speak in any capacity on behalf of LGBT rights, you could be thrown in jail for up to five years;

Allows Uganda to go after people living abroad who are LGBT or who support LGBT rights.

If your mouth hasn't fallen to the floor yet, perhaps it's also worth noting that American anti-gay religious groups like Exodus International, Abiding Truth Ministry, and the International Healing Foundation are a big reason that this law is moving forward. They held an "ex-gay" conference in Kampala, Uganda earlier this year where authorities said they would go so far as to "wipe out" homosexuals from the country through whatever means necessary.

It looks like they've found the means to do just this, and it's through this gross legislation in Uganda's Parliament. These supposed Christian ministries should condemn this law -- if not because of its disastrous implications for public health and HIV prevention, then for the fact that IT WILL RESULT IN VIOLENCE toward LGBT people. LGBT people will be murdered and imprisoned because of this law. No ministry should be in the business of supporting murder with impunity or unjust imprisonment.

Amnesty International's expert on sexual rights, Katie Sheill, said it best when she said that provisions in this bill are not only illegal, they're immoral.

"They criminalize a sector of society for being who they are, when what the government should be doing instead is protecting them from discrimination and abuse," Sheill writes.

This legislation needs to be stopped. Here at change.org, we have an action petition that allows you to send a letter to Uganda's Ambassador to the U.S., Uganda's Deputy Chief for their Embassy in the U.S., and Uganda's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. These folks need to see that the international community not only disagrees with this legislation, but that if this legislation is passed, Uganda will cement itself as one of the worst human rights violators in the world.

Please consider signing, and sending a loud and clear message in opposition to this horrific bill.

(Photo courtesy of brdavids' photostream on Flickr.)

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Comments (22)

I am still shocked at what I just read. Is the Ugandan Parliament that serious? What are they thinking? If this bill passes I hope the Parliament can't wait to see all the angry messages being sent their way by the global community. No person should be put to death because of their sexual orientation. If you don't like it then tough. Move somewhere else or get used to it.

Love is Love

Posted by Caitlin Schmedlin on 10/19/2009 @ 08:05PM PT
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What I read just made me sick.

I would honestly love to beat the living shit out of whoever gave them the idea in the first place.

Its people like that that give religious people a bad name.

Posted by Paul Hockhousen on 10/19/2009 @ 08:32PM PT
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And all of the religious extremists wonder why so many people, myself included, hate them so much.

Posted by Caitlin Schmedlin on 10/19/2009 @ 08:41PM PT
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I wonder too - but I rejoice that every news story that exposes this ignorance and stupidity and hatred is just one more nail in the coffin of religion.

We'll never know how many people will abandon religion altogether after reading this story, but we can be sure that there will be some.

I believe it is our obligation to humanity to expose these asshats for the evil they do in the name of god or faith or whatever other farce they hide behind.

Posted by Fester 60613 on 10/20/2009 @ 08:56AM PT
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Did i read that right?

who gives them the right to do that? that is shocking.

what does it matter if your homosexual? it doesnt!

small minded people, thats all they are!

Fukin savages.

Posted by Jade Jones on 10/20/2009 @ 03:44AM PT
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Uganda hasn't progressed much at all since Idi Amin.

Posted by Fester 60613 on 10/20/2009 @ 08:57AM PT
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If theyve been listening to the bible thumpers then all theyve managed to do is de-evolve...

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/20/2009 @ 01:10PM PT
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Thomas - that's funny. Imagine de-evolving from a murderous cannibalistic dictator through religion! LOL!

Posted by Fester 60613 on 10/20/2009 @ 01:24PM PT
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I dont know...

Aint it possible that he became a murderous, canabalistic dictator BECAUSE of fundemental religion ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/21/2009 @ 04:08AM PT
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i wonder what sir elton jhon would say on this. or ellen from america?...its stupid. we aint bothered about our sexuality..so why should they be.

Posted by Jade Jones on 10/20/2009 @ 04:19AM PT
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That is Terrible what that country is doing. Their ideas are from the dark ages. I Hope something can be done that will stop them from passing this law.

Posted by Martin Martinez on 10/20/2009 @ 04:43AM PT
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I read through the legislation last week -- some of it is worse than the freaking Nuremberg Laws. Also worrying: I spoke with someone yesterday who said that the bill isn't even on most people's radar in Uganda. People are either too scared to talk about it, or they just don't care -- either way, if the bill passes, it will do so with almost no public discussion.

Posted by Michelle . on 10/20/2009 @ 05:07AM PT
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I read an article several days ago about an American Christian Evangelical Group spearheading their anti-gay agenda in South Africa...

Shame on them all...

Posted by leatrice brantley on 10/20/2009 @ 06:35AM PT
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And yet when gay organizations attack these asshat christians they get all upset and cry "persecution! persecution!"

Posted by Fester 60613 on 10/20/2009 @ 08:59AM PT
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Signed...

I'd like to see a law here in the u.s. get enacted where the fundementals of any religion would be treated exactly as theyve treated those who theyve persecuted.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/20/2009 @ 01:06PM PT
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Good idea - if only we could get them to see that the fundies are doing the persecuting! They don't see that they're doing anything wrong.

Posted by Fester 60613 on 10/20/2009 @ 01:26PM PT
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Actually, I think we should hold them to their own archaic and barbaric torturous methods of punishment found in their "good books."

Posted by Dave Hershey on 10/20/2009 @ 04:58PM PT
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@ Fester 60613

I liken that attitude to be like the serial killers and pedophiles who are incapable of seeing the evil within their acts...

@ Dave Hershey

Fine with me...Just as long as theyre made to understand that when they attack those that do no harm then retalliation will result.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/21/2009 @ 04:12AM PT
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It's unjustified that organizations of intolerant conservatism, such as Abiding Truth Ministry are partly responsible for bills in Uganda that would severely damage human rights. The bills which are in the Uganda must be stopped and if unfortunately passed, President Obama must impose an embargo with Uganda. The intolerant conservative organizations operating in Uganda must be condemned by the people there for the greatness of LGBT rights.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 10/20/2009 @ 02:29PM PT
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Yeah, like Obama would do anything to help LGBTQ people anywhere. This is terrible. I would LOVE to see asshats like Scott Lively suffer the same torments he and the rest of his bigoted buddies want to see gays undergoing.

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 10/21/2009 @ 12:03AM PT
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Indeed...

I would love to see every bible thumper in existance suffer in full the effects of the law of 3 in regards to their hypocrisy and evil.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/21/2009 @ 04:15AM PT
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Heartbreaking

Posted by Tony Knox on 10/26/2009 @ 11:11AM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.