Uganda's parliament is set to pass a brutal new law that punishes gay people with prison or death. Initial international criticism drove the President to call for a review. But after a well-funded and vicious lobbying effort by extremists, the bill looks set to be passed – threatening widespread persecution and bloodshed.

Opposition to the bill is rising, including from the Anglican church. Ugandan gay rights advocate Frank Mugisha writes, "This law will put us in serious danger. Please, sign the petition and tell others to stand with us – if there’s a huge global response, our government will see that Uganda will be internationally isolated by the proposed law, and strike it down."

The bill proposes life imprisonment for anyone convicted of having same-sex relations and imposes the death penalty for “serial offenders”. NGOs working to prevent the spread of HIV could be imprisoned for up to 7 years for “promoting homosexuality”. Even members of the public face up to three years in jail if they fail to report homosexual activity to the police within 24 hours!

The bill’s advocates claim that it defends national culture, but its strongest critics come from within Uganda. The Reverend Canon Gideon Byamugisha is one of many who’s written to Avaaz.org – he says, "It is violating our cultures, traditions and religious values that teach against intolerance, injustice, hatred and violence. We need laws to protect people – not ones that will humiliate, ridicule, persecute and kill them en masse."

By rejecting this dangerous bill and supporting the breadth of opposition to it, we can help set a crucial precedent. Avaaz.org is organising a massive global outcry to stop this brutal bill: click here to sign the petition. The petition will be delivered to President Museveni, members of the review committee and Ugandan embassies worldwide this week before it’s too late, as well as to key donor governments.

Further information

African letter to Ugandan President to throw out Anti-Homosexual Bill

Ugandan church leader brands anti-gay bill 'genocide'

Human Rights Impact Assessment of Uganda's Anti-homosexuality Bill By Sylvia Tamale, The Dean of Law at Uganda's Makerere University