WHO 24 Years On

Today marks the 24th anniversary of WHO removing homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses.

The UK's Shadow Foreign and Commonwealth Minister for Human Rights, Kerry McCarthy, explores what this means, whilst London welcomes Musseveni and the Commonwealth celebrates Rebecca Kadaga.

#DoubleStandards ?

From Uganda to Brunei, LGBT lives remain under threat

May 17th is significant because it marks the anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s decision in 1990 to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. To many of us, it will seem shocking that such a decision was made so recently but in many countries today, while homosexuality may not be classed as a mental disorder, it is very much considered to be a crime.

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) has just published its report, “From Torment to Tyranny”, documenting 162 reported incidents of persecution between 20th December 2013 and 1st May this year. This represents a 750% and 1900% increase on previous years but, as SMUG warns, it is likely to only be the tip of the iceberg.

Thank you World Health Organisation (WHO) for reclassifying LGBT people as 'not mental'.

LGBT Abuse On the Rise in Uganda

Following on from SMUG's report at the beginning of the month, the findings from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch all back up the fact that rights violations have surged after implementation of Uganda’s anti-LGBT law:

Uganda's tough new anti-gay law has sparked a "surge in human rights violations", with people being arrested, evicted or losing their jobs, and at least one transgender person has been murdered, campaign groups said Thursday.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people have "faced a notable increase in arbitrary arrests, police abuse and extortion, loss of employment, evictions and homelessness, and scores have fled the country," Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International said in a joint report.

It all makes for grim reading:

Uganda: After Anti-Gay Law, LGBT Abuse On the Rise in Uganda

Among the most feared repercussions of the bill is the curtailing of LGBT people's access to health services and HIV prevention despite a pledge by the health minister that LGBT people would not be discriminated against.

According to the research, in April police raided the Makerere University Walter Reed Project, a U.S.-funded HIV research and treatment center that serves the LGBT community.

In many cases, patient confidentiality has reportedly been violated. 

Anti-Homosexuality Act’s Heavy Toll

Since the bill passed in December 2013, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are aware of at least 17 people who have been arrested based on allegations of consensual same-sex conduct with other adults or, in some cases, simply on the suspicion of appearing to be LGBTI.

Uganda: a shining example of how quickly society can collapse.

Congratulations Clare Byarugaba

Clare Byarugaba

Congratulations to Ugandan LGBT rights activist Clare Byarugaba, who has just been named  2014 Oak Human Rights Fellow at Colby College, America.

Clare Byarugaba, an award-winning Ugandan human rights defender who works for gay and lesbian rights in a country that recently criminalized homosexuality and the “aiding and abetting of homosexuality,” has been named the 2014 Oak human rights fellow at Colby College. Byarugaba is co-coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law, which was founded in 2009 to fight homophobia in Uganda and act on behalf of the LGBTI community. 

Byarugaba helped organize Uganda’s first gay pride event, lobbied against the country’s anti-homosexuality bill, and now pushes for its repeal despite the threats that work imposes.

Keep up the fantastic work!

Kerry Snubs Museveni

"What's that Museveni? I can't hear you."

Unlike the UK, who appear to embracing Museveni and his anti-gay rehtoric with open arms, the US seem to be taking a different tone.

Kerry Maintains Museveni's International Isolation

As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry set off for his five-nation tour of Africa on May 1, the expectation was that the conflict in South Sudan would dominate. It did not.

The first indication of this was when Kerry's itinerary was announced and it emerged that he would be skirting Uganda and Kenya and not meeting with presidents Yoweri Museveni and Uhuru Kenyatta, the main drivers of the effort, respectively, to protect the legitimate government and end the conflict in Juba.

...part of the reason the Kerry-Museveni-Kenyatta meetings did not happen could be down to the U.S's agenda at home...

Although President Museveni is the U.S's leading ally in the regional peace effort in South Sudan and the DR Congo, and the war against terror in Somalia, the American government has publicly ostracised him since he signed into law the Ant-homosexuality Act in February.

The U.S. President, Barack Obama warned Museveni: "enacting this legislation will complicate our valued relationship with Uganda".

Uganda can hardly be considered a stabilising force in East Africa anymore, yet alone a world player in international politics with its policy of actively persecuting its own people.

Wake Up Call for Museveni

Jackson Mukasa and Kim Mukisa, the two Ugandans facing trial for homosexuality, have been granted bail.

Meanwhile, Yoweri Museveni, the president who assented the anti-gay law, received a rude awakening in London today.

Protests at hotel interrupt speech by anti-gay Ugandan President

Protests from Ugandan’s and supporters of the equal rights movement interrupted a speech given by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni at the hotel where he is staying while visiting London.

Noise from drums, vuvuzelas and chants could be heard from outside the St James’ Court Hotel on Wednesday, in a protest organised by the African LGBTI Out and Proud Diamond Group. President Museveni is in the UK for a forum promoting business between Uganda and the UK – and was disrupted when he attempted to give a speech to Ugandan citizens living in the UK with businesses.

Trial Delayed for LGBT Ugandans as Activists Picket President in London

LGBT Ugandans and allies staged a protest outside a London hotel where President Yoweri Museveni was speaking, while the first LGBT people to face formal charges for gay sex were granted bail.

Two LGBT Ugandans who were scheduled to face formal charges of "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" were granted bail Wednesday, the day their trial was to take place, for the first time since they were arrested in January...

There are some excellent photos of the protest on that second article.

Meanwhile, Huffington Post questions why on earth Museveni was invited to speak in the UK in the first place? 

Stoning Gays to Death? Life in Prison for Being LGBT? Britain Cannot Stay Silent Any Longer

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been in London this week as the honoured guest of the Commonwealth Business Council. Among those welcoming him to the grand surroundings of Lancaster House just down the road from the House of Commons and Buckingham Palace was the UK's Minister for Africa. Yet just 10 weeks ago President Museveni made it punishable by life imprisonment to be a lesbian or gay man in his country. Anybody daring even to speak up for the rights of LGBT citizens can now go to jail for seven years.

Probably for the same reason the Commonwealth promoted Rebecca Kadaga to head of women parliamentarians?

Ignorance, arrogance, and a complete disregard for the rights of LGBT people worldwide.

Two Stand Trial

Jackson Mukasa and Kim Mukisa

Last month we reported that the first LGBT Ugandans were soon to stand trial under the anti-homosexual laws.

Ugandan men first to face trial under severe anti-gay laws: The two men face criminal penalties after being charged with engaging in sex acts 'against the order of nature'

A Ugandan court has begun hearing the case against two men accused of engaging in gay sex – the first trial of homosexuals in the country since a severe law was passed in February.

The detained Ugandan couple, Kim Mukisa, 24, and Jackson Mukasa, 19, appeared before a magistrate's court in the capital, Kampala, on Wednesday to apply for bail after prosecutors said they had enough evidence to proceed with the case.

Funny Uganda's police can figure out what's going on behind people's closed bedroom doors, but not where all the money is going with regard to their corrupt political officials. 

#BetterUseofTime ?


[UPDATE: Here is a rundown of their situation and how it progressed to court.]

Torment to Tyranny

Sexual Minorities Uganda have published a groundbreaking report charting the National LGBTI Security Team, documenting the rise of LGBT persecution in Rwanda from December 2013 to May 2014. Download the full report as a PDF:

From Torment to Tyranny: Enhanced Persecution in Uganda Following the Passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 

[UPDATE: The Guardian have picked up on this report: Uganda anti-gay law led to tenfold rise in attacks on LGBTI people, report says: Passing of anti-homosexuality act has 'given permission to a culture of extreme and violent homophobia', says Sexual Minorities Uganda]