Ban on Ugandan newspaper outing gays remains ... for now

A little tiny bit of good news from Uganda. A Ugandan judge has extended a ban on the newspaper Rolling Stone (no relation to the US music magazine) from outing gay men and lesbians.

The tabloid had been publishing lists of people it identified as gay along with their addresses and photographs. Shockingly, it included a headline saying “hang them”. Gay rights campaigners in Uganda said at least four people were attacked when the first list was published in October.

A ban on the outings was granted on 1 November and, today, a high court judge extended the ban after the newspaper’s editor failed to offer a defence. However, the newspaper's editor has vowed to fight on.

Uganda of course is notorious after David Bahati, an MP there, last year tabled a bill calling for gays to be jailed or executed. He is still hopeful the bill will become law.

We'd love to hear if any gays or lesbians had been to Uganda or anywhere else in East Africa as we know it's beautiful out there. Sadly reports like this put people off but we're sure there must be welcoming places to go.

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Date: 25 November 2010

Comments:

Yes, would also love to go to Africa - maybe Tanzania - I'd love to do a safari and also climb kilimanjaro... anyone got any tips?
outandabout, London - 27 November 2010 06:41 PM

I'd love to go to Uganda but daren't. I went to The Gambia once with a boyfriend and was shouted at in the street, all we were doing was walking together not even holding hands. Anyone else been to West Africa?
Andy, London - 27 November 2010 06:37 PM

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