UN High Commissioner says Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill Is Disturbing
UN High commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuk said that Uganda’s newest bill that targets the LGBTQ community was disturbing and should not be promulgated into law.
The high commissioner said, “The passing of this discriminatory bill – probably among the worst of its kind in the world – is a deeply troubling development, If signed into law by the President, it will render lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in Uganda criminals simply for existing, for being who they are. It could provide carte blanche for the systematic violation of nearly all of their human rights and serve to incite people against each other”
His sentiments come a few days after parliament passed a new bill to imprison homosexuals as a crackdown on homosexual activities in Uganda. The bill was passed with a lot of support from Uganda’s parliament. Some of the elements of the bill include,
Media groups, journalists, and publishers face prosecution and imprisonment for publishing, broadcasting, and distributing any content that advocates for gay rights or “promotes homosexuality”.According to the bill, a person who is convicted of grooming or trafficking children for the purposes of engaging them in homosexual activities faces life in prison. Property owners face the risk of being jailed if their premises are used as a “brothel” for homosexual acts or any other sexual minorities rights activities
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