The BBC has issued an apology following complaints about an online debate which asked: “Should homosexuals face execution?” in response to proposed anti-gay legislation in Uganda.
Critics blasted the British broadcaster, saying the BBC should not treat the execution of gays as a legitimate topic for discussion.
Some readers mused if the BBC would have considered a topic such as the extermination of Jews in World War II a legitimate discussion as well.
In his statement, Peter Horrocks, Director of BBC World Service, defended the topic, saying “the program was a legitimate and responsible attempt to encourage discussion about a crucial African issue.”
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The original headline on our website was, in hindsight, too stark. We apologise for any offence it caused. But it’s important that this does not detract from what is a crucial debate for Africans and the international community.
The programme was a legitimate and responsible attempt to support a challenging discussion about proposed legislation that advocates the death penalty for those who undertake certain homosexual activities in Uganda – an important issue where the BBC can provide a platform for debate that otherwise would not exist across the continent and beyond.