26 Feabh 2014, 17:23
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade has this afternoon condemned the introduction of harsh penalties for homosexual acts in Uganda.
26 February 2014
On Monday, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed into law new legislation that provides for 14-year prison sentence for first-time offenders and life sentences for repeat offenders found guilty of what is termed “aggravated homosexuality.”
Chairman of the Committee Pat Breen TD says: “The signature into law of new anti-gay measures by the President of Uganda earlier this week is most unsettling. While the Committee had been concerned at the fact that homosexuality was already illegal in Uganda, these new draconian laws place the welfare of members of the Ugandan LGBT community at serious risk. The laws are an affront to the fundamental human rights and freedom of expression of all Ugandans. On behalf of the Joint Committee, I wish to condemn these new laws utterly.”
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
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Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Deputies:
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Gerald Nash, Labour
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators:
Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil