The Ugandan Parliament in session.
Uganda's parliament on Friday passed an anti-homosexuality bill
that would see repeat offenders jailed for life, reports and activists
said.
"I am officially illegal," Ugandan gay activist Frank Mugisha said after the vote.
The
lawmaker behind the bill, David Bahati, said an extremely controversial
death penalty clause was dropped from the final version of the bill,
which must now go to President Yoweri Museveni for approval.
First proposed in 2009, the bill had been shelved following international condemnation.
US President Barack Obama described its contents as "odious".
The
initial proposed bill suggested introducing the death sentence for
anyone caught engaging in homosexual acts for a second time, as well as
for gay sex where one partner is a minor or has HIV.
Homosexuality
is already illegal in Uganda, but the new bill toughens penalties and
also criminalises the public promotion of homosexuality - including
discussions by rights groups.
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