Dear Jim,
While American media has been focused on the anti-gay comments of reality TV star Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty, the Ugandan Parliament passed a law that would put gays in prison for life.
In prison for life.
Hundreds of thousands of Ugandans are at risk of life imprisonment. We must take action right now.
This is a fight we can win. President Museveni, whose signature is needed to enact the law, previously promised to veto the “Kill the Gays” bill after international pressure made passing it untenable. What’s more, there are questions about whether the Ugandan parliament had the required quorum of lawmakers present when they approved the bill.
But the fact that this outrageous bill has been somewhat weakened – from levying the death penalty to instead requiring life in prison – may persuade President Museveni to sign the bill unless there is a massive international pressure to do the right thing and issue the veto he promised.
This isn't the first time this brutal bill has been debated in Uganda. Lawmakers tried to push a "Kill the Gays" bill in 2011, but a massive outcry from activists around the globe forced Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to form a commission to investigate implications of passing this legislation. As push-back intensified, the commission recommended that the legislation be withdrawn.
Passage of the life imprisonment bill this week came as a surprise to advocates, since this bill was not even on the agenda, and the Ugandan government has been threatened with the curtailing of foreign aide if this bill was passed.
Tell Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni not to sign the anti-gay bill. Click the link below to sign automatically.
President Museveni has promised to uphold Uganda's Constitution, including its human rights provisions. To keep this promise, he must veto the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Thank you for speaking out in solidarity with Ugandan’s gay and lesbian citizens.
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