Ugandan Women Arrested for Public Kissing Under Anti-Gay Law

On February 18, 2023, two Ugandan women were arrested in Arua, located 450 kilometers north of Kampala, for kissing in public, an act deemed homosexual under Uganda's harsh anti-gay laws. The local police spokesperson, Josephine Angucia, reported that the arrest followed a complaint from a neighbor who provided photographic evidence of the women allegedly engaging in homosexual acts.

The women, both aged 20, are currently held in detention without legal representation. The case has been forwarded to the state prosecutor for guidance on a possible court appearance.

Human rights advocate Frank Mugisha condemned the arrests, emphasizing the grim reality faced by victims of Uganda's anti-gay laws, which have led to increased risks of blackmail and extortion within the LGBTQ community. Uganda's anti-gay legislation has drawn international outrage, prompting condemnation from human rights campaigns and leading to the suspension of funding from the World Bank, which is expected to resume in mid-2025.