ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, On Monday he passed the new anti-LGTBI law that provides for harsher penalties, among them Death penalty and life imprisonment to the people of this community.
announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Beanin which it was confirmed via Twitter That the Ugandan parliament has heeded “the calls of our people,” which is why they have passed legislation “to protect the sanctity of the family,” according to Article 32 of the country’s constitution.
“We remained firm in defending the culture, values and aspirations of our people, our national goals and the guiding principles of state policy,” he added, thanking the rest of the deputies for their “resistance” against “all pressures from thugs and doomsday conspiracy theorists for the benefit of our country.”
Likewise, the vast majority of the 500 MPs who voted for it affirmed that it should be introduced Death penalty for “aggravated homosexual offenses”During the review of the document hours after it was approved, according to several local media reports.
Despite international condemnation, the law was amended by parliament in May at the request of the president to include some of the changes he had proposed, such as Don’t punish mere identification As someone from the LGTBIQ community.
Museveni ratified this new law more than eight years after a version of it was struck down by the country’s courts due to procedural flaws. As in 2014, the legislation remains can be challenged before the courts.
The United States and the European Union describe the law as “shameful”
president of the United States, joe biden, It has been mentioned that the new anti-LGTBIQ code is “shameful” and he “Tragic violation of universal rights” In the African country, which prompts Washington to take retaliatory measures, such as our sanctions.
US government and European Union They condemn this law passed by Uganda’s president on Monday, in which they state that “the risks posed by this democratic setback pose a threat to all who reside in Uganda,” including “United States government employees, our partners,” Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. .
In addition, he has ensured that testimonies of violence and discrimination against Ugandans are from the LGTBI community increased since the law was passed. Many people live in fear of being kicked out of their homes, shot at, threatened, or even sentenced to prison.
For his part, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy said, Josep Borrell He noted that the anti-LGBTI law “contradicts international law and Uganda’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
Borrell also stated that the EU will continue to cooperate with the Ugandan authorities and civil society to ensure that “citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity, They are treated with equal dignity and respect.”
Likewise, he noted that Museveni’s government is “obligated to protect and defend the fundamental rights of its population”, otherwise “relations with international partners will be undermined”.
Therefore, it is expected that the bill will be subject to revision again, since homosexuality is criminalized in about 70 countries, half of which are in Africa.
