The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed his concern Wednesday over the adoption in Uganda of a law that increases prison sentences for homosexual relations and called on President Yoweri Museveni not to enact a reform that »is probably one of the worst of its kind in the world».
For Turk, the approval of the Ugandan Parliament to this reform is »worrying», insofar as it proposes to punish the LGTBI collective »simply for existing, for being who they are». In his opinion, it would mean a »carte blanche» for the »systematic violation» of human rights and would feed social hatred.
The law confuses consensual and non-consensual relationships», according to Turk, who urged the African country’s authorities to prosecute abuses »in all their forms», regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the person who commits them. In this sense, he pointed out that »the law will be a massive distraction» from taking measures on sexual violence that are »necessary».
The text criminalizes the mere identification as LGTBI, with punishments that can reach life imprisonment and even the death penalty if it is categorized as ‘aggravated homosexuality’, in cases where it is considered that there is no consent or coercion. Those who promote same-sex relations risk up to 20 years in prison.
In addition, Turk fears punishments against journalists, medical workers and human rights defenders »simply for doing their job», in a context where the persecution of the LGTBI collective was already palpable, as »brave» activists and deputies who have raised their voice against the law have tried to demonstrate.
The United Nations had already detected an increase in hate speech against the LGTBI population and has echoed a study by a civil society group that denounced that, in February alone, there were more than 110 incidents against this community, from arrests to evictions, including sexual abuse or public harassment.
NOT A QUESTION OF »VALUES» The reform »not only conflicts with the articles of the Ugandan Constitution itself that enshrine equality and non-discrimination», but also contravenes all »international legal obligations» signed by the African country and puts in »grave danger» the most basic rights of Ugandan citizens, according to Turk.
The UN Human Rights chief stressed that »this is not about values», in relation to the recurrent argument to justify this type of legislation, since »promoting violence and discrimination against people just because of who they are and who they love is wrong», regardless of how you want to argue it.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
