African Country Passes Law Criminalizing Identifying As LGBTQ

Uganda, on Tuesday, passed sweeping anti-gay laws that criminalize identifying as LGBTQ in the country.

What Happened: Uganda's opposition lawmaker Asuman Basalirwa introduced the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023 to the Parliament, according to CNN.

He said that the bill aims to “protect our church culture; the legal, religious and traditional family values of Ugandans from the acts that are likely to promote sexual promiscuity in this country.”

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Violations under the law include steep penalties, such as death for so-called aggravated homosexuality and life in prison for gay sex, making it some of the world's harshest anti-gay laws. 

The new law makes things even harder for LGBTQ people in a country that has already banned same-sex relations, and one could be imprisoned for life. The legislation now targets many different actions, and it also bans advertising or helping others to be homosexual, as well as planning to be homosexual.

Friends, family and community members would now have a duty to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the government. Individuals or institutions that support or fund LGBT rights activities will also face prosecution and imprisonment.

Ugandan Member of Parliament Musa Ecweru said, "We are going to reinforce the law enforcement officers to make sure that homosexuals have no space in Uganda."

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