An international human rights group has accused President Yoweri Museveni's government of promoting "state homophobia" in Uganda and urged the repeal of a colonial-era law against sodomy.
Human Rights Watch's attack added to a fierce social debate in the east African nation, where gays and lesbians have been increasingly vocal in demanding rights while Christian groups have taken to the streets to denounce them. The government rejected the accusation and said it never persecuted gays despite homosexuality being illegal.
Homosexuality is proscribed in many African countries, and gays and lesbians often live secret lives to avoid prejudice. New York-based HRW sent a letter to Museveni calling for legislative reform and an end to his "long record of harassing" lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender people.
"For years, President Museveni's government has drummed up homophobia and denied the basic rights of LGBT people for his own political advantage," said HRW researcher Juliana Cano Nieto in a statement sent to media on Friday. "If lesbians and gays can be punished simply for speaking up for their rights, the freedoms of all Ugandans are endangered."