FNs generalsekretær Ban Ki-moon kræver, at Uganda enten helt annullerer eller i det mindste ændrer en ny kontroversiel lov, der kan betyde livstidsdomme for homoseksualitet og homoseksuelle ægteskaber. Stenhård Museveni: Smut bare hjem med jeres bistand!
Ban Ki-Moon advarer om, at loven vil medføre fordomme og chikane af homoseksuelle og opfordrer Ugandas regering til at beskytte sit folk fra vold og diskrimination. Han tilbyder også FN’s støtte til arbejdet med at ændre loven.
Men præsident Yoweri Museveni var uforsonlig: “I må leve med os, hvis ikke, så kan I tage jeres penge og smutte. Uganda er et vældig rigt land. Vi trænger ikke til bistand. Faktisk er bistanden en del af problemet”, sagde han til norske NRK.
En række lande, deriblandt Norge og Danmark, har allerede varslet, at støtten til staten i Uganda vil blive omdirigeret.
Anti-homoloven blev vedtaget i januar af parlamentet, da arkitekterne bag den accepterede, at man fjernede dødsstraf fra lovteksten.
Loven indeholder bl.a. rapporte-ringspligt for alle borgere uanset seksuelle præferencer.
Hvis man eksempelvis opdager, at en af ens venner eller bekendte er homoseksuel, har man 24 timer til at angive vedkommende. Ellers risikerer man selv tre års fængsel.
Aktivister og advokater i Uganda har allerede meldt ud, at de vil arbejde for at få loven kendt ugyldig efter landets forfatning.
Homoseksualitet var i forvejen ulovligt i Uganda efter en forordning fra kolonitiden. Men den nye lov hæver strafferammen til livstid. Den lød før på 14 års fængsel.
FNs Nyhedstjeneste skriver udbyggende tirsdag:
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Ugandan authorities to revise or repeal the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, one day after he said it violates basic human rights and endangers lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the country.
“The Secretary-General reiterates that everyone is entitled to enjoy the same basic rights and live a life of worth and dignity without discrimination,” his spokesperson said, adding that this concept is embedded (forankret) in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Ugandan Constitution.
Both Mr. Ban and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay have decried the principles of the law which “could fuel prejudice (bære nyt ved til fordomme) as well as encourage harassment (forfølgelse) and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons”.
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), also spoke out against the law saying it may obstruct effective responses to the virus.
Mr. Ban has appealed for the complete and universal decriminalization of homosexuality, still a criminal offence in some 76 countries, stressing that human rights must always trump cultural attitudes and societal strictures.
FNs menneskeretschef oppe i det røde felt
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay have spoken out against the anti-homosexuality law, saying it violates basic human rights and endangers lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the country.
“Disapproval of homosexuality by some can never justify violating the fundamental human rights of others,” Ms. Pillay said,noting:
“This law will institutionalize discrimination and is likely to encourage harassment and violence against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation.
“It is formulated so broadly that it may lead to abuse (misbrug) of power and accusations against anyone, not just LGBT people,” she warned.
Ms. Pillay stressed that Uganda is obliged (forpligtet på), both by its own Constitution and by international law, to respect the rights of all individuals and to protect them from discrimination and violence.
“This law violates a host of fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom from discrimination, to privacy, freedom of association, peaceful assembly, opinion and expression and equality before the law – all of which are enshrined in Uganda’s own Constitution and in the international treaties it has ratified.”
The High Commissioner expressed deep concern that the law could also threaten the critically important work of human rights defenders in the country, urging the Government to take immediate steps to ensure that they are not prosecuted for their advocacy.
Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said that the new law “will institutionalize discrimination, restrict the vital work of human rights activists, and could trigger violence. It will also hamper potentially life-saving efforts to stop the spread of HIV.”
