Statement of Solidarity to sexual minorities and advocates of the rights of sexual minorities in Uganda

30 May 2023, Nairobi, Kenya

The Defenders Coalition joins the SOGIE community in Uganda and the global community of human rights defenders in condemning the enactment of anti-homosexuality law in Uganda that seeks to advance punitive and discriminative criminal penalties against sexual minorities in Uganda.

We believe in respect for human rights for all persons. Any discrimination laws and practices on account of any grounds such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, language, religion or belief, political opinion, membership of a national minority organization, age or sexual orientation among others is unacceptable anywhere in the world. We are deeply concerned that by assenting the Anti Homosexuality Bill, the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has provided the legal and political endorsement for discrimination and violence against some citizens of Uganda on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

As an organization whose purpose is to advance the rights of those at the frontline defending other people’s rights we demand the assurance of safety, security and wellbeing for all HRDs

promoting and protecting human rights for all. We call for reversal of this move of using national legislations to criminalize minority groups within our society.

We also call on the international community to be relentless in advancing universal rights codified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other regional and international law. We call upon all global citizens to join hands in solidarity with the sexual minorities in Uganda and to demand for a world free of discrimination and violence.