Uganda plans to introduce a new anti-gay law that will withstand any legal challenge, a government minister has told the BBC.
It will not explicitly refer to homosexuality, but will rely on the penal code which prescribes a life sentence for “unnatural acts”, he said.
Activists say the plan is more draconian than anti-gay legislation annulled by the courts in August. The new measure would outlaw “funding for purposes of promoting unnatural sexual practices” and “exhibiting unnatural sexual practices.” Anyone convicted of the crime could serve up to seven years in prison.
“People don’t realize that the ‘promotion’ part of it will affect everybody,” gay rights activist Frank Mugisha told the Agence France-Presse.
“If newspapers report about homosexuality it could be seen as promotion. My Twitter account could be seen as promotion. All human rights groups that include LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) rights defense in their activities could be accused of promotion,” he said.
While it is still unclear as to how quickly this bill will move through parliament, Ugandan parliamentarians appear to be committed to re-introducing anti-LGBT legislation. Immediately following the nullification of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, close to 200 parliamentarians signed a petition in favor of reintroducing the bill.
