Source: International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Dec 15, 2009
On December 16, 2009, the lower house of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on a draft revision of the penal code that will, for the first time, make homosexuality a crime in Rwanda. A vote on this draft code will occur before the end of the week. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has learned that the proposed Article 217 of the draft Penal Code Act will criminalize "[a]ny person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice." If the Chamber of Deputies approves, the draft code will go before the Rwandan Senate most likely in early 2010.
Article 217 violates Rwandans' basic human rights and is contradictory to the Rwandan Constitution as well as various regional and international conventions. IGLHRC, the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), and Rwanda's Horizon Community Association (HOCA) will shortly issue a call to action to demand that the Rwandan Parliament withdraw this article. We urge the international community to act against this proposed law and support the equality, dignity, and privacy of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Rwanda.
This draft provision targeting LGBT people closely follows the introduction of a similar measure in neighboring Uganda, where the nation's parliament is currently debating an Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The proposed Ugandan law would prohibit all LGBT activism and organizing, would further criminalize consensual same-sex conduct between adults, which is already illegal in Uganda, and in some cases apply the death penalty.
Meanwhile, the IGLHRC reported that Uganda's Minister of Ethics and Integrity, James Nsaba Buturo, announced that the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill will likely be altered to remove the death penalty and life imprisonment as proposed punishments for homosexuality."
"The move to amend the Bill follows months of criticism from a coalition of groups from civil society, religious, legal, and government leaders, and human rights defenders in Uganda and around the world. The Bill's main sponsor, David Bahati, countered on December 13 that Parliament would not weaken the Bill in response to international pressure, making the future of the legislation unclear."