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Ugandan Newspaper Pressed to Cease Gay Persecution

Associated Press
Wednesday Nov 3, 2010
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A Ugandan man reads the headline of the Ugandan newspaper "Rolling Stone" in Kampala, Uganda. Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010, in which the papers reveals the identity of allegedly gay members of Ugandan society and calls for public punishment against those individuals. The "Rolling Stone" is a fairly new publication under the management of Giles Muhame, a Ugandan journalist..rights activitists say that at least four homosexuals have been attacked since a Ugandan newspaper published an article this month called "100 Pictures of Uganda’s Top Homos Leak _ Hang Them." A year after a Ugandan legislator tried to introduce a bill that would have called for the death penalty for being gay, rights activists say homosexuals face a host of hostility.
A Ugandan man reads the headline of the Ugandan newspaper "Rolling Stone" in Kampala, Uganda. Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010, in which the papers reveals the identity of allegedly gay members of Ugandan society and calls for public punishment against those individuals. The "Rolling Stone" is a fairly new publication under the management of Giles Muhame, a Ugandan journalist..rights activitists say that at least four homosexuals have been attacked since a Ugandan newspaper published an article this month called "100 Pictures of Uganda’s Top Homos Leak _ Hang Them." A year after a Ugandan legislator tried to introduce a bill that would have called for the death penalty for being gay, rights activists say homosexuals face a host of hostility.   (Source:AP Photo)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) - A controversial newspaper in Kampala published photos, names and home addresses of gay Ugandans on Monday - the second time the paper has done so - prompting a rights group to seek a legal injunction against the publication.

The paper’s managing editor, Giles Muhame, said he plans to continue publishing photos of gay men in order to "help them live responsible lives."

Earlier this month the paper - called Rolling Stone but not linked to the American magazine of the same name - published a front page story featuring a list of what the paper said were Uganda’s 100 "top" homosexuals. Rights activists said the story prompted attacks against at least four gay Ugandans.

Sexual Minorities Uganda has asked the country’s highest court to issue an injunction against publishing the faces of gays in future editions.

Gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of attacks and harassment since a lawmaker introduced a bill in October 2009 that would impose the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others.

"We now live in fear," said Julian Onzeima, the group’s coordinator. "The Rolling Stone paper has led to people turning against us."

Gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of attacks and harassment since a lawmaker introduced a bill in October 2009 that would impose the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others. The bill has not come up for a vote.

The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual.

The bill became political poison after international condemnation, and many Christian leaders have denounced it.

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