Iranian president praises Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi this week praised his Ugandan counterpart for signing the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act. The Nile Post, a Ugandan news website, reported Raisi spoke alongside Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday at his official residence. “Western countries are putting pressure on independent countries by attacking the family foundation, promoting the ugly phenomenon of homosexuality, the spread of extremism and terrorism, and the use of human rights as a tool, for which the development of cultural interactions and cultural cooperation between Iran and Uganda will be very effective in confronting the plots of the enemies of the two nations,” said Raisi.
Iran is among the countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death. Museveni on May 29 signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act that contains a death penalty provision for “aggravated homosexuality.” The U.S.
subsequently imposed visa restrictions against Ugandan officials. “As directed by President Biden, the U.S. government will continue to evaluate additional actions under this policy, as well as the use of other tools at our disposal, to promote accountability for Ugandan officials and other individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Uganda, abusing human rights, including those of LGBTQI+ persons, or engaging in corrupt practices,” said State Department spokesperson Matt Miller in a June 16 statement.
Outright International, the Human Rights Campaign and the Council for Global Equality are among the more than 100 advocacy groups that have urged the World Bank to suspend loans to Uganda.
