Uganda court bans Rolling Stone news paper Gay publications
By Own Correspondent – Kampala – Uganda’s high court has ordered a controversial Rolling Stone newspaper to stop publishing the names and photographs of people the paper says are gay.
High Court judge Vincent Musoke-Kibuuka said the publication was “an infringement or invasion of the right to privacy” of those identified, AFP reports.
A gay rights group, Sexual Minorities Uganda, sought the injunction after the paper on Monday published its second straight edition with names and photos.
But Giles Muhame, editor of the two-month-old Rolling Stone paper, told the AFP news agency that he would defy the ban.
“We will publish more pictures but in a diplomatic way, so that we can dodge the law,” he said.
He says he is trying to protect Ugandans from those seeking to “recruit children to homosexuality”.
On Monday, it published a further 14 names and photographs, after saying last month it would reveal 100 homosexual Ugandans.
Fifteen names were identified last month, next to a headline which read: “Hang them”.
The first edition, published in early October, sparked attacks against at least four gay Ugandans, Sexual Minorities Uganda said.
The group’s Frank Mugisha said one woman was almost killed after her neighbours started throwing stones at her house.
However, Homosexual acts are illegal in Uganda , last year an MP introduced a bill which would mean some gay people could face the death penalty but it Bill sparked an international outcry after it was introduced to Uganda’s parliament.
The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual.
The bill became political poison after international condemnation, and many Christian leaders have denounced it.
It has not been formally debated, amid reports the government is trying to quietly get it shelved.
Credits- AP
