Overview

• Human Rights Watch's latest report highlights a sharp increase in violence and discrimination against LGBTQ people in Uganda since the Anti-Homosexuality Act was enacted in May 2023.
• The law prescribes life imprisonment for homosexuality and the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality,' making it one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ laws globally.
• Authorities have used the law to justify arbitrary arrests, detentions, and extortion of LGBTQ individuals, often employing social media and dating apps for entrapment.
• LGBTQ rights organizations have faced shutdowns, staff arrests, and harassment, further limiting access to vital legal, health, and mental health services.
• Human Rights Watch has called for the repeal of the Anti-Homosexuality Act and the introduction of comprehensive equality and nondiscrimination legislation to safeguard human rights.