Uganda: Petition and court case urge arrest of three for persecution of gay people
A petition and court case have been filed to urge for the arrest of three men “for the persecution of gays” in the country.
Magembe Norman, who is straight, filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court against three Ugandans, David Bahati, a Ugandan MP, Giles Muhame, editor of Rolling Stone, which publishes identities of people suspected of being gay, and Martin Ssempa, and anti-gay pastor.
Mr Norman heard confirmation from the ICC on 9 September, that it is looking into the complaint, and that it was undecided whether to proceed with an investigation.
He has since started a change.org petition urging the court to undertake an investigation of the three named in the complaint.
The petition calls on the ICC to ”Investigate and Prosecute The Top 3 Homophobic Ugandans for Crimes against humanity”.
Mr Norman said he was kicked out of his home by his father, and that he had received death threats for being seen “as someone who betrayed Uganda.”
The controversial “kill the gays” bill was first introduced in 2009 by MP David Bahati, but has yet to gain parliamentary approval.
It specifies long jail sentences for those convicted of same-sex sexual acts and in certain cases has suggested the death penalty.
