Ugandan court awards £32K to men tortured after arrest for alleged homosexuality

Last week, the Ugandan High Court’s Civil Division granted £32,000 (approximately 150 million Ugandan shillings) to 20 men who were subjected to police torture after being arrested in 2020 on allegations of homosexuality, according to ‘LGBTQ Nation’.

Justice Douglas Singiza reportedly stated that on the morning of the mentioned date, the men’s residence was stormed by a mob, which included the respondents, and they were tortured because of their homosexual practices. The alleged acts of torture involved beatings, being hit and burned with a piece of hot firewood, undressing, tying up, conducting anal examinations, and other physical, mental, and psychological abuses based on suspicions of homosexuality, which they deny.

The incident occurred in the village of Nkokonjeru in Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District. The plaintiffs partnered with the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, a non-profit organisation, to lodge a human rights complaint against Kyengera town council, the mayor Abdul Kiyimba, principal officer Philimon Woniala, and the Attorney General.

The arrests took place shortly after the Ugandan government enforced COVID-19 lockdowns.

Singiza indicated that due to the same suspicions, the applicants were arrested, taken to Nkokonjeru B police station, and charged with a negligent act likely to spread infection by disease. He remarked on the scant evidence for alleged breaches of the country's anti-homosexuality laws, noting the investigation's lack of substance.

On March 31, 2020, the men were imprisoned “where they were again reportedly beaten, examined, harassed, and discriminated against.”

Uganda has stringent anti-homosexuality laws. The 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, enacted by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in May 2023, prescribes the death penalty for what it terms as “aggravated homosexuality,” including same-sex acts that transmit HIV, life imprisonment for “recruitment, promotion, and funding” of same-sex “activities,” and even prohibits identifying as LGBTQ+ in Uganda. This legislation has faced widespread criticism from human rights organisations, U.S.A. House of Representatives members, President Joe Biden, and Pope Francis.

Dr. Frank Mugisha, a human rights activist and executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, shared on X that a Ugandan court had awarded Shs150 million to 20 Ugandans tortured for alleged homosexuality during the COVID lockdown, marking a significant triumph for the LGBTQ+ community. This ruling builds on earlier victories, such as a 2008 decision for Victor Mukisa and a favorable judgment against Rolling Stone, a Ugandan tabloid notorious for its harmful content.

Adrian Jjuuko, executive director of Uganda’s Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, told Barron’s that local leaders and politicians are now warned that if they target people based on sexual orientation and gender identity, they will be financially liable.

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, aside from its impact on LGBTQ+ individuals, has reportedly cost the nation up to $1.6 billion (approximately £1.3 billion) in the year since its implementation, according to a new report by Open for Business, a coalition supporting global LGBTQ+ inclusion.

The report estimates that in the twelve months following the passage of the AHA, Uganda has experienced an economic loss ranging from $470 million to $1.6 billion (approximately £374 million and ££1.3 billion respectively), representing between 0.9–3.2% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).