Uganda: Treatment of lesbians by authorities, including arrests, charges, and/or convictions following the president's declaration against homosexuals in September 1999; whether any changes occurred as a result of his statement in November 1999
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 31 October 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | UGA35463.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Uganda: Treatment of lesbians by authorities, including arrests, charges, and/or convictions following the president's declaration against homosexuals in September 1999; whether any changes occurred as a result of his statement in November 1999 , 31 October 2000, UGA35463.E , available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4beb820.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
"Paragraph 140 of the Ugandan Penal Code stipulates that 'Any person who has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature' is subject to life imprisonment" (IGLHRC 1 Nov. 1999).
In September 1999, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda ordered the arrest of homosexuals for carrying out "abominable acts" (Gay Health 29 Sept. 1999; HRW Mar. 2000; Reuters Sept. 28 1999).
Kamal Fizazi, the regional coordinator for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), based in New York, who happened to be in Uganda at the time of the president's declaration, said that he received confirmation of the arrest of one homosexual and heard unconfirmed reports of the arrest of five others (ibid.). This information is corroborated by the Tanzanian Section of Amnesty International based in Dar-es-Salaam, which states that as a result of President Museveni's September 1999 declaration,
five Ugandans, two women and three men, were arrested and illegally detained for two weeks before being released without charges. Fearing re-arrest, they fled into Tanzania and sought protection and support from the Amnesty Section there. ... due to the extreme hardships they have faced in having to flee their country, and because it is unlikely that the climate in Uganda will change soon, they will probably need to stay in Tanzania for some time, and as a result they are feeling very disillusioned (n.d.)
On 16 November 1999, while attending the Commonwealth summit in Durban, South Africa, President Museveni reportedly told journalists that "homosexuals were free to live out their sexual orientation as long as they "did it quietly" (The Monitor 28 Nov. 1999). However, in an address to parliament later that month, he said that press reports in which he allegedly softened his stand on homosexuality "were not completely accurate" (ibid., 24 1999). For additional information on this topic please consult UGA34633.E of 28 June 2000.
No reports on arrests, charges and/or convictions of homosexuals in Uganda since November 1999 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International (AI) [Dar-es-Salaam]. n.d. Amnesty International Calls for Letters of Support and Solidarity for Ugandan Lesbian and Gay Refugees."
Gay Health. 28 September 1999. "Uganda's President Orders Gay Crackdown."
International Gays and Lesbians Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). 1 November 1999. "Action Alert."
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 28 March 2000. "Opening Doors for Lesbian and Gay Rights."
The Monitor [Kampala]. 28 November 1999. Kisuule Magala Katende. "MPs for Big Homosexual Debate Today."
_____. 24 November 1999. Henry Ochieng. "Museveni Still Tough on Homosexuals."
Reuters. 28 September 1999. Paul Busharizi. "Ugandan President Orders Arrest of Gays."
[Accessed: 23 Oct. 2000]
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Research Bulletin. 1998-2000.
Amnesty International Report 1999. 2000.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999.2000. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
Keesing's Record of World Events. 1998-2000.
LEXIS/NEXIS
Resource Centre. Country File. Uganda.
Unsuccessful attempts to reach oral souces.
Search engines including,
Lycos
Mamma
Internet sites including,
All Africa
