Uganda Revives Gay Death Penalty Bill

A Ugandan lawmaker says he’s confident that his bill to make homosexuality punishable by death or imprisonment will be law “soon.” The bill was thought to have been permanently shelved thanks to international outcry, but David Bahati tells CNN that’s not the case. “We are very confident,” he says, “because this is a piece of legislation that is needed in this country to protect the traditional family.”

Bahati’s revived efforts come in the wake of the global outcry over a tabloid that published photos and information about Uganda’s “100 top homos,” under a banner reading “Hang them!” (Story here.) CNN talked to one lesbian couple who said they had to go into hiding after the article hit, because a mob had formed outside their home. “People were throwing stones through the gate,” said one of the women. “They were shouting, ‘Homosexual, homosexual!’ I started getting scared.” (More Uganda stories.)