On February 14, 2014, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced that he will sign a piece of legislation into law that would officially criminalize homosexuality. The legislation would impose a prison sentence of 14 years to persons convicted of a homosexual act the first time, and a life prison sentence for repeat convictions. 38 of 54 countries in Africa have outlawed homosexuality. President Barack Obama has openly criticized the legislation proposed by the Ugandan government stating that it "will be a step backward for all Ugandans and reflect poorly on Uganda's commitment to protecting the human rights of its people. It also will mark a serious setback for all those around the world who share a commitment to freedom, justice, and equal rights" (online). Susan E. Rice, U.S. National Security Adviser, "spoke at length" (online) with Uganda's president over the weekend. She announced through the social media site Twitter that she advised Museveni and told him that passing the legislation would be a "huge step backward for Uganda and the world," (online) similar to President Obama's statement. Obama also reflected on the "rise in 'reports of violence and harassment targeting members of the LGBT community from Russia to Nigeria'" (online). Additionally, President Obama had stated, "I salute all those in Uganda and around the world who remain committed to respecting the human rights and fundamental human dignity of all persons" (online). It will be interesting to see how Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will respond to U.S. pressure against signing the anti-gay legislation into law.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-criticizes-ugandas-anti-homosexuality-measure/2014/02/16/f35a44fa-973c-11e3-9616-d367fa6ea99b_story.html
- Jack Mikolajczyk
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