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# Death penalty case against 20-year-old Ugandan man for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ must be dropped immediately, says Amnesty International
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/death-penalty-case-against-20-year-old-ugandan-man-for-aggravated-homosexuality-must-be-dropped-immediately-says-amnesty-international/
- Published: 2023-08-30T15:57:09.000Z
- Updated: 2023-08-30T15:57:09.000Z
- Description: The man is the fifth Ugandan to be charged with an offence under the country’s new Anti-Homosexuality Act
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: Amnesty, Amnesty International, LGBT, LGBTQ, Uganda

**Uganda**’s **Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions** (DPP) must urgently drop charges of “aggravated homosexuality” against a 20-year-old man – the second Ugandan to be charged with this offence under the country’s new **Anti-Homosexuality Act** – **Amnesty International** has said.

**Tigere Chagutah**, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said: “It is deeply disturbing that the Ugandan authorities are prosecuting people based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Discrimination and persecution of LGBT+ people in the country must be halted.

“Charging this person with an offence that carries the death penalty based solely on his perceived sexual orientation is a flagrant violation of international law. Uganda must not only repeal the Anti-Homosexuality Act but also ensure accountability for the ongoing violations against the LGBTQ+ community in the country.”

Defence lawyers told Amnesty that Ugandan police arrested the 20-year-old alongside another man, aged 41, at **Soroti Sports Ground** in **Soroti**, eastern Uganda, on **15 August**. They were arrested around midnight and taken to **Soroti Central Police Station** on allegations of engaging in sexual relations with a person of the same sex, an allegation that the accused person denied. Police officers reported that they caught the two men half-naked.

Police released the 41-year-old man later that day and told lawyers that he had been unable to provide consent for sexual conduct due to his “mental status” and therefore was a victim, making the alleged offence “aggravated”. According to a DPP spokesperson, the “victim was a 41-year-old male living with a disability”. Lawyers said that the police did not provide any evidence to substantiate this assertion, however.

The 20-year-old was held in police custody until **18 August** and then moved to **Soroti Chief Magistrates Court**, before being remanded at the **Soroti Main Prison**. He will remain there until **Friday, 1 September**, when his case will be called before court.

Lawyers of the accused also told Amnesty that the police conducted anal examinations on the alleged victim on **16 August**.

Tigere Chagutah added: “Amnesty vehemently opposes any form of anal examination to determine whether anyone has engaged in same-sex sexual relations.

“Such examinations violate the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under international law.”

### The Anti-Homosexuality Act

The Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law in May this year and introduced the crime of “aggravated homosexuality”. This is defined as sexual intercourse with a person older than 75 or younger than 18, who either does not give consent, is unable to give consent, or is a person living with a disability or mentally illness. The maximum penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” is the death penalty.

According to the **Human Rights Awareness** and **Promotion Forum**, a Ugandan advocacy NGO, at least five people have been charged with different offences under the law since it was passed.

There have also been reports of a spike in violence and other violations against LGBTQ+ persons in Uganda. In June and July of this year alone, 149 cases of violence against LGBTQ+ persons have been reported – including the eviction of people from their homes, as well as actual or threatened violence.

Amnesty opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception – regardless of who is accused, the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution. **For more info on Amnesty, [CLICK HERE](https://www.amnesty.org/en/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)**