U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesperson
______________________________ ______________________________ __________________
For Immediate Release February 24, 2014
STATEMENT BY SECRETARY KERRY
Enactment of Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill
This
is a tragic day for Uganda and for all who care about the cause of
human rights. Ultimately, the only answer is repeal of this law.
The
United States is deeply disappointed in the enactment of the
Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda. For the four years since the bill was
introduced, we have been crystal
clear that it blatantly violates human rights obligations that Uganda’s
Human Rights Commission itself has recognized are enshrined in Uganda’s
Constitution
Today’s
signing threatens a dangerous slide backward in Uganda’s commitment to
protecting the human rights of its people and a serious threat to the
LGBT community in
Uganda.
We
are also deeply concerned about the law’s potential to set back public
health efforts in Uganda, including those to address HIV/AIDS, which
must be conducted in a non-discriminatory
manner in order to be effective.
As
President Obama stated, this legislation is not just morally wrong, it
complicates a valued relationship. Now that this law has been enacted,
we are beginning an internal
review of our relationship with the Government of Uganda to ensure that
all dimensions of our engagement, including assistance programs, uphold
our anti-discrimination policies and principles and reflect our values.
From
Nigeria to Russia and Uganda, we are working globally to promote and
protect the human rights of all persons. The United States will
continue to stand against any
efforts to marginalize, criminalize, and penalize vulnerable persons in
any society.
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