CALL FOR AUSTRALIAN GOV'T TO PUBLICLY CONDEMN UGANDAN ANTI-LGBTIQA LAW

Just.Equal Australia has called on the Australian Government to respond immediately and forcefully to anti-LGBTIQA+ legislation signed into law by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni.

The new law imposes a life sentence for gay sex, the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" and twenty years gaol for "promoting homosexuality."

Just.Equal has called for Australia to
- speak out publicly against the new law
- increase Australia's intake of LGBTIQA+ asylum seekers from Uganda
- restrict entry into Australia of any Ugandan official involved in enacting or enforcing the new law
- impose sanctions
- work within the UN and the Commonwealth to encourage further action
- support Ugandan LGBTIQA+ advocates to take court action and improve community attitudes

Spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

"Australia has a key role to play in defeating this contemptible law and in protecting the human rights of LGBTIQA+ Ugandans."

"The Australian Government has told us it has made behind-the-scenes representations but it must do more. It must speak out publicly and impose restrictions and sanctions on Ugandan officials."

"The Australian Government only received refugee applications from seven LGBTIQA+ Ugandans in the five years between July 1st 2018 and May 17th 2023, despite ongoing persecution in that country."

"To increase the number of applications, Australia must make it clearer it is a safe place for LGBTIQA+ Ugandan refugees and work more closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to support applications from those refugees."

Mr Croome said the Government wrote to Just.Equal in early May outlining its actions so far. Just.Equal has written back asking for more to be done.

 

A country-by-country breakdown of applications to the Australian Government from LGBTIQA+ people seeking asylum is attached.

A copy of the Australian Government's actions regarding the Ugandan law, as at May 2, is attached. 

 

For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.