Uganda’s parliament on Tuesday, 2nd May, passed a strict anti-LGBTQ+ bill that would impose a death penalty on people found guilty of having gay s*x when HIV+.
The bill had received wide condemnation from the European Union (EU), the U.S., and the UN when it was first adopted in March.
In the new bill, the country categorizes as capital offences cases of “aggravated homosexuality“, a term the government uses to describe actions including having gay s*x when infected with HIV.
It spells out a 20-year sentence for advocating homosexuality, and activists say this could criminalize any advocacy for the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens.
The legislation will now head back to President Yoweri Museveni to sign his approval, veto it, or return it to the parliament for review. Museveni, a vocal opponent of LGBTQ+ rights, has signaled that he intends to sign the legislation once certain changes are made, including the addition of measures to correct gay people.
