Extreme Homophobic Uganda Law Includes Death Penalty for ‘Aggravated Homosexuality’ and Jail Time for ‘Promoting Homosexuality’

It is pride month, and we’re spending intentional time this month – as we do every month – tracking movement for queer liberation and the processes that try to muzzle the rights of our queer families.

In today’s episode we look at a homophobic legislative process going on in Uganda, a country where the law has leaned increasingly conservative. Most recently, in a law backed by the Ugandan president that went into effect last month, people who are convicted of homosexual acts could be executed or imprisoned for life. Gay sex was already illegal in Uganda. But this new law makes things harsher – people having gay sex can receive sentences of life in prison, “Promoting homosexuality” – whatever that means – can come with a 20 year prison sentence; and if someone is convicted of “aggravated homosexuality” – this is a reference to HIV-positive people who have gay sex – they can be sentenced to death. 

Here to help us understand the story and its context is Justine Balya, Director of the Access to Justice Programme at Uganda’s Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, a local non-governmental organization. She joins us from Kampala, Uganda.

Learn more about Uganda’s Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum: https://hrapf.org/

This week’s Resistance in Residence Artist is Rapper, Hip hop scientist, performer, teacher, and creator of Hip Learning, Naru Kwina. Listen to our full length interview with Naru on our podcast (link below). Learn more about Naru’s project Hip Learning: http://hiplearning.com/