“By signing this authoritarian, anti-human rights legislation, President Museveni is waging a deadly attack on his own citizens and further estranging Uganda from the rest of the world. Museveni’s action today is a full-throated attack on queer Ugandans’ human rights to life and health. Uganda’s HIV response will be devastated as this legislation is enforced. Clinics providing lifesaving healthcare will have to choose between providing science-based services or following the new law. People will suffer at every turn simply for being who they are. And while Uganda’s economy will suffer due to his choice to promote Western fundamentalist Christian-driven hate-fueled legislation, it’s the incalculable suffering of LGBTQI+ Ugandans that is most devastating.
“We join civil society and HIV activists around the world in demanding this deadly law be repealed by Uganda’s courts. The world sees Ugandan politicians’ brazen attempts to scapegoat LGBTQI+ people. This legislation is a desperate attempt to use hate to distract from the real issues facing Ugandans: from a crumbling health sector to brutal attacks on government critics to corruption and beyond. Violence against LGBTQI+ Ugandans will not solve politicians’ problems. We will never stop fighting alongside our LGBTQI+ Ugandan brothers and sisters for the human rights, equality, and freedoms they deserve.”
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