Friday, December 20, 2013

The anti-homosexuality bill has been before the Uganda Parliament for several years. For background - - - including discussions of the links between the bill and US evangelicals- - - both Jeff Sharlett's 2010 Harper's Magazine article Straight Man’s Burden: The American roots of Uganda’s anti-gay persecutions and the documentary film God Loves Uganda are worth consideration.

The original "Anti Homosexuality Bill" Bill 18 2009, seems to have been amended by various motions, according to Parliament Watch (Uganda). These amendments include:

The death penalty was removed from the Bill during the debate, and the death penalty was replaced with life imprisonment.

Clause 14 Failure to disclose the offense was deleted because the clause will be too hard to implement

Clause 12 was amended,a new clause inserted that sentences any person or institution that conducts gay marriage to 7yrs and licence canceled

Clause 9(b) the words"either in Uganda or elsewhere"or" appearing at the end of the end of the sub- clauses 1(a) (b)were deleted

Clause 9 was amended by deleting the words "etc " in the head note, because it makes the head note appear vague

Clause 8 Conspiracy to engage in homosexuality, was deleted because it is provided for under clause 13

Clause 7 : Aiding and abettting Homosexuality was deleted, because it provided for under clause 13

An official copy of the bill is not yet available. It must be presented to the President of Uganda for assent.

Additionally, yesterday the Uganda Parliament passed The Anti Pornography Bill creating the offense of pornography. As defined, it includes "any indecent act or behavior tending to corrupt morals."

Should there be Presidential assent and the bills become law, there are vows to challenge the constitutionality of both laws in the courts.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2013/12/uganda-parliament-passes-anti-homosexuality-bill.html