Uganda Arrests Two Women Under Anti-Homosexuality Act

Two Ugandan women were arrested in Arua for kissing in public, under the country's 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act. This law imposes severe penalties, including life imprisonment for consensual same-sex relations and the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality.' Neighbors reported the women and provided photos as evidence, leading to their detention without legal representation since February 18. Local police spokesperson Josephine Angucia confirmed the arrests and the forwarding of the case to the state prosecutor. Human rights advocate Frank Mugisha condemned the arrests, stating that the law fosters blackmail and extortion against the LGBTQ+ community. The legislation has drawn widespread international condemnation from the United Nations and Western countries, with the World Bank Group having previously suspended funding to Uganda, though it resumed in mid-2025.