International
It Is Now Criminal To Identify As LGTBQ In Uganda
A new law in Uganda has now made it a crime to identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ).
The law which was passed on Tuesday in parliament includes penalties such as life imprisonment and death penalty.
The east African country had for years been considering passing the law.
The proposed bill also threatened landlords who rent houses to gay people with a prison sentence.
According to Human Rights Watch, Uganda’s new law is the first to punish those merely identifying as LGBTQ.
The country’s penal codes permit life imprisonment for same-sex relations but the new law passes a death sentence for “aggravated homosexuality”.
As well as making identifying as gay illegal, friends, family and members of the community would have a duty to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the authorities.
People who “promote” homosexuality and “abet” and “conspire” to engage in same-sex relations also face threats.