PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday 25th April 2014,
UGANDA'S ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY ACT CHALLENGED BEFORE THE EAST AFRICAN
COURT OF JUSTICE
(KAMPALA) Represented by the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF), the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CSCHRCL) on 23rd April 2014 filed a reference before the East African Court of Justice contending that Uganda is in violation of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community by enacting the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014, certain provisions of which are inconsistent with the obligations laid down by the treaty. HRAPF is a human rights organisation working to achieve equality, non-discrimination and equal access to justice for marginalised groups in Uganda.
The Reference argues that certain provisions of Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act, Act 4 of 2014 are in violation of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community in Articles 6(d), 7(2) and 8(1)(c) which enjoins partner states to govern their populace according to the principles of good governance, democracy, the Rule of Law, social justice and the maintenance of universally accepted standards of human rights which include inter alia, provision of equal opportunities and gender equality as well as the recognition, promotion and protection of human and peoples rights in accordance with the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
According to the HRAPF Executive Director, Adrian Jjuuko, "Since the Act became law on 10th March 2014, human rights violations against LGBTI persons have been recorded including arrests, cases of mob justice, and raids on offices, all of which violate the human rights guaranteed in the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and other international instruments. This goes against the obligations imposed upon partner states of the East African Community to maintain universally-accepted standards of human rights.
'The filing of this reference is part of the CSCHRCL's commitment to use all the available legal avenues in order to ensure that human rights and the rule of law are respected in Uganda. The
East African Court of Justice is one of the avenues that we are using, and we hope that the Court finds in our favour," stated Geoffrey Ogwaro, Co Coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition.
The Applicant has asked the East African Court of Justice to make declarations to the effect that certain provisions of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 violate the principles that partner states are enjoined to follow under the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Court of Justice.
For more information, contact:
Adrian Jjuuko, +256 782 169 505, ajjuuko@hrapf.org
Geoffrey Ogwaro, +256 782 176 069, ahbcoalition.coordinator@gmail.com Clare Byarugaba, +256 774 068 663, ahbcoalition.coordinator@gmail.com
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