oct
14
2019
Activists defiant as Uganda proposes death penalty for gay sex
Kampala, Uganda (CNN)The Ugandan government's plan to reintroduce a bill that could impose the death penalty for homosexuality is being met with defiance from the LGBTQ community in the East African nation, activists told CNN.
Ugandan Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo, in an interview with local media Thursday, said present laws criminalizing gay sex - which in theory can come with a life sentence - were not tough enough.
When asked by a presenter on local NTV why the bill is being introduced now, Lokodo said, "The penal code only criminalizes the act [gay sex]. ...Now we're saying anything, like recruitment, promotion, exhibition...amounts to committing a crime against that law."
CNN made several calls to Lokodo but was unable to reach him for comment.
However, the Uganda Media Center Saturday released a statement from spokesperson Ofwono Opondo stating that the the government "does not intend to introduce any new law with regards to the regulation of #LGBTQ activities in Uganda because the current provisions in the #PenalCode are sufficient."