Uganda’s Constitutional Court to Review Controversial Anti-Homosexuality Law : Key Developments and Impacts
The court announced that all legal arguments must be submitted by September 19th, with a conference hearing scheduled for October 2nd. Chapter Four Uganda, one of the petitioners, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to present their case. The petitions were filed shortly after President Yoweri Museveni signed the strict law in May. In June, Uganda’s Attorney General requested the Constitutional Court to dismiss the petitions, alleging they were filed in bad faith. However, petitioners argue the law infringes on privacy rights, press freedom, and freedom of expression, and was hastily passed without adequate public consultation, especially with the LGBTQ+ community. In 2014, a less strict version of the law was invalidated by the Constitutional Court due to a technicality. The current law imposes severe penalties, including life imprisonment for homosexual acts, the death penalty for “aggravated” homosexuality, and 20 years for defending LGBTQ+ rights. Property owners risk up to seven years in prison if their premises are knowingly used for homosexual purposes. Since the law’s enactment in May, at least five individuals have been charged under it, with two facing the death penalty. A recent report by the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) revealed that in August, they handled 26 cases of individuals evicted from their homes due to suspected homosexuality and documented 13 cases of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. READ MORE