Friday 7 December 2012

Please sign this petitionHumanAction - Protest Against Draconian Ugandan 'Kill the Gays' Bill

HumanAction - Protest Against Draconian Ugandan 'Kill the Gays' Bill


 
Monday, December 10, 2012
12:00 PM
Ugandan High Commission
58-59 Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DX 
This is a message that gay activist, Peter Tatchell sent

On International Human Rights Day, this Monday 10 December, Londoners will gather outside the High Commission of Uganda to protest against plans for what is “probably the world’s most harsh and comprehensively homophobic law, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.”
Currently under consideration by the Uganda parliament, the bill stipulates the death penalty for repeat homosexual offenders and severe prison terms many other aspects of gay life, behaviour and gay human rights advocacy. Contrary to some reports, the death penalty clause has not been removed from the bill.
Monday’s protest is to “stand in solidarity with Ugandan lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people against the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill.”
It is organised by the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development. See their facebook page: http://on.fb.me/NjNyog. It is supported by the Peter Tatchell Foundation.
Please sign the All Out petition against Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill:
http://www.allout.org/en/actions/uganda-now
“The Bill extends the existing penalty of life imprisonment for same-sex intercourse to all other same-sex behaviour, including the mere touching of another person with the intent to have homosexual relations,” said Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights advocacy organisation, the Peter Tatchell Foundation.
“Life imprisonment is also the penalty for contracting a same-sex marriage.
"Promoting homosexuality and aiding and abetting others to commit homosexual acts will be punishable by five to seven years jail. These new crimes are likely to include membership and funding of LGBT organisations, advocacy of LGBT human rights, supportive counselling of LGBT persons and the provision of condoms or safer sex advice to LGBT people.
“A person in authority – gay or heterosexual - who fails to report violators to the police within 24 hours will be sentenced to three years behind bars.
"Astonishingly, the new legislation has an extra-territorial jurisdiction. It will also apply to Ugandan citizens or foreign residents of Uganda who commit these 'crimes' while abroad, in countries where such behaviour is not a criminal offence. Violators overseas will be subjected to extradition, trial and punishment in Uganda.
“See this statement by Uganda’s Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law:
http://bit.ly/SBmHYF
“This bill is even more draconian than the extreme homophobic laws of countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran.
“It is part of a wide attack on civil society and is symptomatic of Uganda’s drift to authoritarianism," added Mr Tatchell.

Read this report on the tyranny of President Yoweri Museveni’s Ugandan regime:
http://bit.ly/UicRa0

Background briefing on the bill
Here is an analysis of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2012/02/14/41955
Read the latest news on the Ugandan anti-gay Bill: http://bit.ly/XlI6s5

In violation of Uganda’s constitution
The Anti-Homosexuality Bill violates Article 21 of the constitution of Uganda, which guarantees equality and non-discrimination:
21. Equality and freedom from discrimination.
(1) All persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of
political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and
shall enjoy equal protection of the law.
It also breaches the equality and anti-discrimination provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Articles 2, 3 and 4), which Uganda has signed and pledged to uphold.
See here: http://bit.ly/SCt90e

Further information:
Ben Simms
Director
UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development
07908 455 228
Peter Tatchell
Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation
0207 403 1790
For all who live in London, then please join us if you can. Otherwise, kindly sign the petition.