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Court dismisses charges of unnatural offences against two men

The Chief Magistrates Court at Buganda Road has agreed with the prayers of the accused’s lawyer and dismissed the charges against two men. This is in the case of Uganda v. Mukisa Kim and Mukasa Jackson, Criminal Case No. 0085 of 2014. The two accused persons, a gay man and trans woman were arrested on the 27th and 28th of January 2014 respectively by the Police following a mob’s...

Court annuls Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014

The constitutional court has ruled that the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 was passed illegally by Parliament. This was in a petition filed by Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum and others challenging the constitutionality of the Act. One of the grounds raised by the petitioners was the fact that there was lack of quorum in parliament the day the bill was passed into an Act. The Attorney General did not...

Hearings on the petition against the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 began today at the Constitutional Court

The Constitutional Court of Uganda began hearing the petition against the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 today. The petitioners were represented by Counsel Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, Fridah Mutesi, John Francis Onyango, Nicholas Opio and Caleb Alaka, while the Attorney General was represented by Counsel Patricia Mutesi and Elisha Bafirawala. The justices hearing the case are Hon. Justice Nshimye, Hon. Justice Kavuma, Hon. Justice Opio Awere, Hon. Lady Justice Bbosa and Hon. Justice...

HIV Prevention and Control Bill passed by Parliament

On May 13, 2014, parliament passed the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Bill 2010 with provisions that discriminate people living with HIV/AIDS including one that may end up criminalizing people living with HIV if the President assents to it. The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Act, 2014, incorporates provisions which criminalise ‘attempted’ and ‘wilful’ transmission of HIV with a five year imprisonment term, provide for the mandatory testing of   pregnant women...

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act challenged at the East African Court of Justice

Yesterday, 23rd April 2014 Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum under the umbrella of The Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CSCHRCL) filed a reference before the East African Court of Justice contending that Uganda is in violation of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community by enacting the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014, certain provisions of which are inconsistent with the obligations laid down...

HRAPF joins challenge against Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014

Human Rights Awareness and promotion Forum (HRAPF) together with Prof. J Oloka – Onyango, Hon. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, Andrew Mwenda, Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, Dr. Paul Nsubuga Semugoma, Jacquiline Kasha Nabagesera, Julian Pepe Onziema, Frank Mugisha and Center for Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) today filed a Constitutional Court Challenge of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was signed into law by President Museveni on February 24, 2014. The petition was filed...

Legality of Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 challenged in Constitutional Court of Uganda

Human Rights Awareness and promotion Forum (HRAPF) together with Prof. J Oloka – Onyango, Hon. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, Andrew Mwenda, Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, Dr. Paul Nsubuga Semugoma, Jacquiline Kasha Nabagesera, Julian Pepe Onziema, Frank Mugisha and Center for Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) today filed a Constitutional Court Challenge of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was signed into law by President Museveni on February 24, 2014. The petition was filed...

President signs the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law

On 24th February 2014, President Museveni finally signed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 into law. The law that is now known as the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014 is a more specific criminalization of same sex relations compared to what already existed in section 145 of the Penal Code Act. The law was signed at State House Entebbe in the presence of both international and national media, members of parliament and...

Parliament Passes the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009

Uganda’s 9th Parliament passed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 on December 20th 2013, amidst calls from civil society and other stakeholders for the bill not to be passed. Apparently, the bill was passed when parliament had no quorum and it was not on the order paper according to the Prime Minister Hon. Amama Mbazi, who condemned the action. The contentious provision on death sentence was removed and replaced with...

African Civil Society Call for Action on Human Rights Situation in Eritrea

HRAPF joined the rest of African Civil Society in presenting their compliments and congratulations on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the African Union and the Organisation of African Unity. Reflecting the overall theme of 2013 as the year of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance, Civil Society called on the African Union to take urgent action to respond to the appalling situation of widespread and systematic human rights violations...