Some bloggers are repeating a rumor to the effect that Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill exposes family members and friends of LGBT Ugandans to the death penalty.
Not true.
The death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” is defined in Part II of the legislation to include “serial offender,” but the offense in this context is defined narrowly as “homosexuality” and not related offenses. Related offenses and their penalties are addressed in Part III of the legislation.
Part III, Section 14, states:
Failure to disclose the offence.
A person in authority, who being aware of the commission of any offence under this Act, omits to report the offence to the relevant authorities within twenty-four hours of having first had that knowledge, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years.
In other words, the bill punishes the pastors, families, and friends of LGBT people to 3 years in prison for failing to report a loved one to police for life imprisonment or execution.
Clause 13 of the legislation punishes, with a sentence of at least 5 years, any speech by friends, families, pastors, medical and academic professionals, media, or politicians which might be perceived as less than all-out condemnation of homosexuality, or which might be perceived by ideologues as assisting LGBT people by educating them about disease prevention — activities which are vaguely described as “related activities,” “related practices,” and “promoting homosexuality.”
