Substantial advances for LGBT rights were achieved in 2016, amid anti-gay violence, arrests and setbacks that marred the past 12 months. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum
Uganda court removes barrier blocking LGBTI anti-bias cases
Equal opportunity for LGBTI Ugandans moved one step closer to reality this week. That progress came Nov. 10, when the country’s Constitutional Court overturned a provision that had allowed the Equal Opportunities Commission to disregard complaints from people it considered “immoral or socially unacceptable.” Continue reading
East Africa Court rejects challenge to Uganda anti-gay law
The Tanzania-based East African Court has refused to take a stand on LGBTI rights, rejecting a challenge to the Ugandan Anti- Homosexuality Act of 2014. The gay-friendly Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) of Uganda had filed suit in hopes of a court judgment that such anti-gay laws are unacceptable throughout East Africa. But … Continue reading
Out of Kampala’s frying pan, into Nairobi’s fire
Kamarah Apollo is a gay Ugandan refugee in Kenya who is currently awaiting relocation to the United States. Here he tells his story: ‘Through fear, still we stand’ I am a gay activist from Uganda. I was born in 1988 and raised as the youngest in a family of six siblings. In 2010, at age … Continue reading
Court to rule on limiting East Africa’s anti-gay laws
Lawyers seeking recognition of the human rights of LGBTI people are scheduled to learn on Sept. 27 whether the Tanzania-based East African Court will take a stand for LGBTI rights by ruling that anti-gay laws such as the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act are unacceptable throughout East Africa. In its East African legal challenge to the Anti-Homosexuality … Continue reading
Uganda: Confronting Lokodo’s hateful anti-LGBTI lies
A recent diatribe by Ugandan Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo was the last straw for Joaninne Nanyange, executive officer at the Uganda-based Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF). So she broke her silence about what happened during the Aug. 4 raid on the Mr. and Miss Pride beauty pageant and set about dismantling Lokodo’s allegations … Continue reading
Breaking news: Police lockdown at Ugandan pride event
Ugandan police today disrupted the Mr. and Miss Pride competition in Kampala and imposed a lockdown. This blog is covering the news as it develops. Many people, including at least three Ugandan LGBTI rights leaders, were arrested or at least detained. Trans participants reportedly were beaten, caned, and sexually assaulted by police. Dozens of people … Continue reading
Police blame the victim in Uganda break-in
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Ugandan legal activist Adrian Jjuuko about allegations from Ugandan police spokesman Fred Enanga that members of Jjuuko’s team set up a May 22 break-in and murder at the organization’s headquarters. Dozens of human rights organizations have criticized police for their ineffective response to a series of recent … Continue reading
Appeal to Uganda: Stop break-ins that target advocates
Thirty-one international human rights organizations have written to Uganda’s Inspector General of Police, calling for an end to the passive police response to a series of recent break-ins and one murder at Ugandan advocacy organizations. The non-governmental organizations urged police to conduct a thorough investigation leading to prosecution of the people involved in the crimes. … Continue reading
Series of break-ins, murder target Ugandan activists
The Ugandan government must put an end to a series of break-ins targeting human rights organizations, which culminated May 22 in the murder of a security guard at the offices of HRAPF, the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum. Ten human rights organizations joined forces today to deliver that message, calling for a quick investigation … Continue reading
