Uganda to Enforce
Stronger Antigay Laws

Laws that would boost police investigations against gays in Uganda will be strengthened due to the government's concern over the "mushrooming" of gays and lesbians in the country.

"The state of moral health in our nation is challenging and we are concerned about the mushrooming of lesbianism and homosexuality," Ethics and Integrity Minister James Buturo said at news conference. He added, "Who is going to occupy Uganda 20 years from now if we all become homosexuals? We know that homosexuals don't reproduce."

He also said that globalization is bringing homosexuality to Uganda as an attempt to end civilization, according to Agence France-Presse.

Same-sex intercourse and marriage are outlawed in Uganda, with the criminal punishment being a life sentence in prison. However, there is no record of a fair trial through the Ugandan courts for such an offense, according to the South African Independent. Buturo said the law would change to increase the number of prosecutions.

LGBT activists George "Georgina" Oundo and "Brenda" Kiiza were held in prison for a week in September without a trial or being charged with a crime. They were arrested on September 10 in Kiiza's home, where police accused them of "recruiting homosexuals," according to Human Rights Watch.

Police confiscated LGBT-related magazines and books, and at the police station authorities took Kiiza's and Oundo's cell phones to note the names and numbers found stored in them. Kiiza and Oundo were also interrogated and beaten by police, who demanded names of other gays they knew. They were let go after their lawyer urged their release, but there is still an ongoing police investigation. (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)