When will LGBTIQ Ugandan prisoners be released?
Lawyers for imprisoned LGBTIQ Ugandans hope that tomorrow, Nov. 26, will see the release of the last 20 people detained at Luzira Prison in the wake of a Nov. 10 raid on the gay-friendly Ram bar.
On Friday, 13 of the detainees were granted bail, bringing to 47 the total number of people who were released pending court action in December.
Among the 125 original arrestees in the Nov. 10 raid on the Ram bar in Kampala, 58 people quickly posted bail or paid bribes in order to be released promptly. The other 67 were imprisoned awaiting court action.
They face on charges of being a public nuisance, which is punishable by up to one year in prison.
Among the 125 original arrestees in the Nov. 10 raid on the Ram bar in Kampala, 58 people quickly posted bail or paid bribes in order to be released promptly. The other 67 were imprisoned awaiting court action.
The gay-friendly Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF), a legal advocacy organization, said that many detainees had been released on cash bail of 500,000 Uganda shillings (about U.S. $135).
Last week, HRAPF was the host for a meeting of Ugandan civil-society organization who are mobilizing to seek to decriminalize petty offences such as being a public nuisance. So far, 21 civil society organizations in Uganda have signed up for the coalition.
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