Legal News

The Death Penalty for Being Gay and HIV Positive? Uganda Mulls It

By Ashby Jones

Wow. Some lawmakers in Uganda really really don’t like gay people. We’re talking loathe them. We’re talking want to kill them.

The news: Proposed legislation would impose the death penalty for some gay Ugandans, and their family and friends could face up to seven years in jail if they fail to report them to authorities. Click here for the story, from MSNBC. Click here for a related story from the USA Today;

In its current form, reports MSNBC, would mandate a death sentence for active homosexuals living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act faces life imprisonment.

Anyone who “aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality” faces seven years in prison if convicted. Landlords who rent rooms or homes to homosexuals also could get seven years and anyone with “religious, political, economic or social authority” who fails to report anyone violating the act faces three years.

The measure was proposed in Uganda following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy for gays to become heterosexual. However, at least one of those leaders has denounced the bill, as have some other conservative and liberal Christians in the United States. (The Ugandan group has reportedly cited the work of Richard Cohen, an unlicensed American psychotherapist who believes homosexuality can be “cured.” Cohen recently duked it out with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. Click here for the clip.)

The bill is still being debated and could undergo changes before a vote, which hasn’t yet been set. But gay-rights activists abroad are focusing on the legislation. A protest against the bill is planned for Thursday in London; protests were held last month in New York and Washington.

Uganda’s ethics minister, James Nsaba Buturo, said the death sentence clause would probably be reviewed but maintained the law was necessary to counter foreign influence. He said homosexuality “is not natural in Uganda,” a view echoed by some Ugandans.

Uganda is not the only country considering anti-gay laws. Nigeria, where homosexuality is already punishable by imprisonment or death, is considering strengthening penalties for activities deemed to promote it. Burundi just banned same-sex relationships and Rwanda is considering it.

Update: Wednesday evening, we received a press release from a group called Faith in Public Life which denounces the proposed Uganda bill. Click here for a list of signatories. Reads the statement:

American Christian pastors, theologians and organizational leaders from across the theological and ideological spectrum with diverse views about homosexuality have united to condemn a bill currently under consideration in the Parliament of Uganda that would make homosexual behavior punishable by life imprisonment or even death. Given U.S. Christian groups' extensive history of involvement in Uganda, these numerous Catholic, Evangelical and Mainline Protestant leaders – including several members of the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships – felt especially compelled to speak out against the "Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2009" as an affront to Christian values and call on all American Christian leaders to join them.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on December 09, 2009 (boomark / email).