Death Penalty Still Stands

(NYC Protest at Uganda Mission, 30th November)

A few days ago it was reported internationally by major news sources that Uganda had decided to drop the death penalty clause.

This was in fact wrong.

It's still in there.

It was the US that first became suspicious:

U.S. officials dispute media reports on Uganda anti-gay bill

...the embassy source, who asked not to be named, said that the committee can only compile a report on the bill for recommendations to the bill, and can’t make changes to it. That means the panel can’t take out the death penalty provision for “aggravated homosexuality,” which media sources reported was removed. 

Here is a copy of the bill from 2009.

3.2: A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality shall be liable on conviction to suffer death.

It goes on to state that anyone 'attempting to commit homosexuality' is liable to serve seven years in jail, and life for attempting 'aggravated homosexuality'.

If there is an updated version of the bill, we would like to know about it. As far as we are aware, those clauses still stand.

As AllOut reported: 

Ugandan politicians are slowing the momentum against this bill - by spreading the lie that they've removed the gay death penalty. In a global briefing with All Out yesterday, Ugandan activists Frank and Kasha told journalists around the world that the bill has not changed. They asked that we keep spreading the word to fight the bill.

In more uplifting news:

15,000 Brits tell Uganda to drop gay hate bill

+

Over a million speak out against Uganda’s anti-gay bill

And Indian campaigners are planning to hold a ten-day protest.

If you want to get involved by registering your opposition, click the 'take action' tag at the top of this blog for ideas on where to start.