The European Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday condemning Uganda’s proposed Anti-Homosexuality legislation that is said to have the support of the government.
Meeting in Strasbourg, France, the Members of the EP called upon the Ugandan authorities not to approve the “Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009” tabled in the Ugandan Parliament in late September by MP David Bahati.
The resolution calls on the Ugandan authorities to review their laws so as to decriminalize homosexuality.
Under the proposed legislation, gays could be punished with life imprisonment or the death penalty for certain homosexual behavior.
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The Bill could also lead to the imprisonment for up to three years of anyone, including heterosexual people, who fail to report within 24 hours the identities of anyone they know who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or who supports the human rights of people who are.
MEPs reminded the Ugandan government of its obligations under international law and the Cotonou Agreement, which calls for universal human rights to be respected.
The EP indicates it firmly rejects any moves to introduce the death penalty and is extremely concerned that international donors, non-governmental and humanitarian organizations would have to reconsider or stop some of their activities in support of Uganda should the bill become law.
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union, an economic and political union of 27 member states — Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
