Police in northwestern Uganda have arrested two women in their 20s for publicly kissing, authorities confirmed to AFP on Tuesday, citing the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023.
Neighbors reportedly alerted authorities, providing photos that allegedly showed the women engaging in same-sex intimacy. They were detained on February 18 and remain without legal representation. West Nile police spokesperson Josephine Angucia said the arrest was based on suspicions of “queer and unusual acts believed to be sexual in nature,” adding that multiple women were reportedly seen congregating at the suspects’ residence.
Under the Anti-Homosexuality Act, consensual same-sex relations can carry a sentence of up to life imprisonment, while “aggravated homosexuality” is punishable by death, though authorities have not suggested that applies in this case.
Human rights groups have condemned the arrests. Ugandan activist Frank Mugisha highlighted on X that the law has facilitated widespread targeting of LGBTIQ+ individuals, including arrests, forced evictions, torture, and blackmail. He warned that criminals exploit the legislation to prey on vulnerable people in the community.
Since the law came into force in May 2023, hundreds of violations against LGBTIQ+ people have been reported across Uganda. The statute imposes life imprisonment for homosexual acts and death for “aggravated” cases, which include sexual relations with minors, elderly people, or those with disabilities, mental illness, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
