Uganda parliament passes harsh anti-LGBTQ bill mostly unchanged

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

2 minute read May 2, 2023 7:33 AM EDT Last Updated an hour ago

Uganda parliament passes harsh anti-LGBTQ bill mostly unchanged

KAMPALA, May 2 (Reuters) - Uganda's parliament on Tuesday passed one of the world's strictest anti-LGBTQ bills mostly unchanged, including long jail terms and the death penalty, after President Yoweri Museveni requested some parts of the original legislation be toned down.

Despite some changes, the new bill retains most of the harshest measures of the legislation adopted in March, which drew condemnation from the United States, European Union, United Nations and major corporations.

The provisions retained in the new bill include the death penalty for so-called aggravated homosexuality and a 20-year sentence for "promoting" homosexuality, which activists say could criminalise any advocacy for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer citizens.

Aggravated homosexuality includes having gay sex when HIV-positive.

The legislation now heads back to Museveni, who can sign it, veto it or return it again to parliament.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-parliament-passes-mostly-unchanged-version-anti-lgbtq-bill-2023-05-02/

Non-paywalled link: https://archive.is/ugEBr#selection-801.0-809.102