Lithuania has revised a controversial law banning the "promotion" of homosexuality. According to media reports, the country's parliament voted 58-4, with 25 abstentions, to amend the law. It prohibited the "public dissemination" of any materials which could be seen to promote homosexuality. The country has already banned any mention of homosexuality or bisexuality in schools or in media accessible by young people. The law was compared to Section 28, the UK law which once prohibited discussion of homosexuality in schools. According to Amnesty International, punishable offences would include campaigning on human rights issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, providing sexual health information to lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans people or the organisation of gay film festivals and Pride events. Instead, lawmakers yesterday approved changes which would ban the "encouraging the sexual abuse of minors, sexual relations between minors and other sexual relations". A spokesman for President Dalia Grybauskaite, who had called for the amendment, said: "The homophobic clauses have been removed. The law is in line with European standards." The legislation also prohibited the mention of bisexuality, polygamy, images of straight sex, death and severe injury, the paranormal, foul language and bad eating habits. It did not specify punishments for breaking the law. However, gay rights activists in Lithuania have said that events such as Pride marches could still be banned under the revised law, which also bars the promotion of "any concept of the family other than that set down in the constitution".
In Uganda, the minister for ethics and integrity has suggested that the country will ditch its plans to execute gays in favour of life imprisonment. James Nsaba Buturo said this would allow authorities to rehabilitate gays. He said: “There have been a lot of discussions in government regarding the proposed law, but we now think a life sentence could be better because it gives room for offenders to be rehabilitated. Killing them might not be helpful.” He denied the country had bowed down to international pressure. World powers such as the US, UK, France and Sweden had all heavily condemned the proposed law and Sweden had mooted the idea that aid could be cut to Uganda. Instead, Buturo said: “It's really out of our consultation with various groups, including religious leaders. It has nothing to do with external forces." Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill was first proposed in October. In the last few weeks, a number of international church leaders have condemned it. The proposed law, which originally imposed the death sentence on gays who had sex with minors, disabled people or while infected with HIV, was debated in Uganda's parliament last week. Debates will resume next month. Along with imprisonment for those convicted of homosexuality, friends and family members of gay Ugandans who do not report them to authorities could face up to 3 years in prison. People who "promote" or assist homosexuality could be jailed for 7 years. The bill would also punish Ugandan citizens who have gay sex abroad. The bill's sponsor has argued that it will curb HIV infections and protect the "traditional family". It has been subject to worldwide condemnation and since the first reports emerged in mid-October, has received widespread media attention. Many Ugandans believe homosexuality is an unnatural western import and see foreign interference as colonialism. It is expected that the bill will receive strong support in Uganda's parliament.
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