We, the undersigned, urge Minister for Foreign Affairs, Éamonn Gilmore, to take action to prevent the Ugandan government from passing and enacting a bill introducing the death penalty for homosexuality. Section 140 of the bill criminalises “canal knowledge against the order of nature”.  The bill, which has been delayed but not scrapped, also introduces prison sentences for Ugandan citizens who fail to report their lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender friends, neighbours and family members, as well as sentences for those infected with HIV.  The bill further states that any Ugandan involved in any gay acts or groups internationally can later be extradited back to Uganda, and will face life imprisonment for “putting the country to shame”.  This bill is an obscene violation of human rights.

As a compassionate nation, committed to human rights all over the world, Ireland cannot keep silent when a bill such as this is proposed.  38 of the African Uion’s 54 member states already criminalise homosexuality, and a law with such outrageous sentencing would set a dangerous precedent internationally.  We urge the Minister and Department of Foreign Affairs to take every available action to prevent this bill becoming law.