Washington is concerned about the passage of the law by the Ugandan parliament. In the event that it actually comes into force, we reserve the right to economic consequences.
The US government is considering economic sanctions against the country because of the anti-gay law passed in Uganda. If the law actually goes into effect, it would have to consider whether it would have to draw economic consequences, said the communications director of the National Security Council, John Kirby, on Wednesday.
“We are extremely concerned about the passage of the law,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. It would undermine universal human rights, jeopardize progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and damage Uganda’s international reputation.
The Ugandan parliament passed an anti-gay law on Tuesday. According to this, people who commit homosexual acts in the East African country or fail to report attempts at homosexual acts can be sentenced to seven and ten years in prison or heavy fines. In the worst case, homosexuals who are guilty of “serious” crimes can even face the death penalty. The parliamentarians did not specify which offenses are included in detail.
The law will not come into force until it is signed by Uganda’s long-term president, Yoweri Museveni. However, the 78-year-old had already expressed his goodwill before saying goodbye. In other East African countries, too, the climate for gays and lesbians has recently worsened. A leading politician from the Tanzanian ruling party called for the castration of homosexual people at the weekend. Kenya’s President William Ruto said in early March that homosexuality had no place in his country.