Uganda includes death penalty in anti-homosexuality bill reform

(CNN) — A hardline anti-homosexuality bill, condemned by human rights groups and approved Tuesday in Uganda, will include capital punishment, amendments to the legislation show.

Under the bill, the death penalty can be applied in cases of “aggravated homosexuality”, a broad term the law uses to describe sexual acts committed without consent or under duress, against children, persons with mental or physical disabilities, by a “serial offender” or involving incest.

“The person who commits the crime of aggravated homosexuality may be sentenced to death,” read the amendments, presented by the president of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Robina Rwakoojo.

Other amendments to the bill include increasing the penalty for identifying as LGBTQI+ from 10 to 20 years.

Homosexual relations were already illegal in Uganda before the new bill was passed, punishable by life imprisonment.