An anti-homosexuality law that punishes gay sex with long jail sentences was struck down by a court today, Friday after Ugandans opposed to the law filed a constitutional petition alleging that it violates fundamental rights. "I can confirm the anti-homosexuality law has been struck down," said Nicholas Opio, a lawyer for the petitioners. "The judge said there were irregularities in the process of its enactment and also there was no quorum in parliament."
Enacted in February, the law imposed jail terms of up to life for "aggravated homosexuality." The Ugandan law also criminalized lesbianism for the first time and made it a crime to help individuals engage in homosexual acts. However, Uganda's government recently said the law had been misinterpreted, adding that it had been intended to prevent promotion of gay sex to children, not to punish or ostracize homosexuals. Homosexuality is taboo in many African countries and illegal in 37 nations on the continent.
No comments:
Post a Comment