Leading Ugandan gay rights activist discusses her country’s extreme anti-gay laws

We go to Uganda for the third report in our series on gay rights, discrimination and religion. Today Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni was sworn in as President for a fourth time. Opposition leader Kizza Besigye also returned to the country today, after authorities prevented his entry on Wednesday. Besigye was arrested multiple times for recent “Walk to Work” protests. As his supporters gathered today to welcome him back, police fired tear gas at the crowd. CNN reports that dozens were injured and live ammunition was used. Uganda’s record on human rights, and LGBT rights in particular, has attracted a lot of criticism at home and overseas. Under Ugandan law, committing what are described as homosexual acts is illegal and the penalty can be a life sentence. This week lawmakers are expected to debate a controversial anti-gay bill that proposed the death penalty for certain homosexual acts. Ugandan lawmakers have said they would drop that provision from the bill but the rest of it could be voted on tomorrow and become law. For more, we turned to Kasha Jacqueline founder of Freedom and Roam Uganda, an LGBT rights organization in Kampala.

Earlier this month, she received the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. For more of our series on gay rights, discrimination, and religion, go to our website.