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United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has expressed disappointment over Uganda’s Constitutional Court’s decision regarding the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) spread.
While the court did strike down sections that denied essential healthcare services to LGBTQI+ Ugandans, the core of the law remained.
Mr Blinken echoed concerns already voiced by human rights organizations, calling the court’s decision “a small and insufficient step”
The law, Blinken argued, posed a “grave threat” not only to LGBTQI+ Ugandans but to the nation as a whole.
Ugandan LGBTQI+ advocates like lawyer Nicholas Opio saw the court’s ruling as inherently flawed. Opio pointed out the chilling effect the law would have on civic participation. With their very existence deemed unconstitutional by some, how could LGBTQI+ Ugandans even think about advocating for their rights?
The court’s justification for upholding the AHA, protecting children from recruitment, was met with scepticism. Activists argued that the law did nothing to address genuine concerns about child sexual abuse and instead fostered a climate of fear and discrimination.
The international community worried that the AHA would further damage Uganda’s reputation and hinder foreign investment.
However, there was a flicker of hope. Blinken’s statement, along with similar pronouncements from other world leaders, showed that Uganda was not alone on the world stage. The international community was watching, and the pressure to uphold human rights would not relent.
Opio and fellow activists announced that they would appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
Source: Opera News