KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Two women have been taken into custody by Ugandan authorities following neighbor complaints about same-sex conduct, marking what appears to be among the initial detentions under the nation’s harsh anti-LGBTQ legislation passed in 2023, according to police officials Thursday.
Authorities in Arua, located in Uganda’s northwest region, apprehended the pair on February 18th following reports that residents frequently observed them in intimate displays. Police spokesperson Josephine Angucia stated that when law enforcement responded, they discovered the couple “red-handed on the cement floor.”
Both women have since been released on police bond while the investigation proceeds, and formal charges have not yet been filed, Angucia confirmed.
The disputed Anti-Homosexuality Act gained backing from many Ugandans while drawing sharp criticism from human rights advocates and international observers. Supporters argued the measure was essential for child protection.
Though the law doesn’t make LGBTQ identity itself illegal, it establishes capital punishment for “aggravated homosexuality,” a term covering sexual contact involving HIV-positive individuals, minors, and other vulnerable populations.
The Arua arrests highlight troubling developments under the new legislation, according to Frank Mugisha, a leading LGBTQ advocate in Uganda. “We have seen a surge in a targeted crackdown that goes beyond just arrests; it has fueled a dangerous cycle of blackmail and extortion,” Mugisha stated.
Uganda already prohibits same-sex relations through older colonial-era statutes that criminalize acts “against the order of nature.”
Across Africa’s 54 nations, homosexuality faces legal restrictions in many countries. Senegal, located in West Africa, is currently working to strengthen penalties for same-sex conduct.
