British High Commissioner signs public statement against Anti-Homosexuality Act
UK representative joins 16 other Ambassadors and High Commissioners calling on Uganda to honour its human rights commitments.
On 28 February 2014, the British High Commissioner, HE Alison Blackburne, signed a public statement registering the concern and disappointment of countries around the world at new Ugandan legislation which increases sanctions against homosexuality. The text of the statement was as follows:
Kampala 28th of February, 2014
Public Statement
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned and disappointed about the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
We strongly believe that all humans share common indivisible rights. The Anti-Homosexuality Law contradicts this universal principle and the Ugandan commitment to protect the fundamental human rights of all of its citizens.
We would like to remind the Government of Uganda of its constitutional and international human rights obligations. Having ratified the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Uganda is obliged to guarantee the human rights infringed by the Anti-Homosexuality Law.
Signed by:
Urban Andersson, Ambassador of Sweden David Angel, Canadian High Commissioner Alison Blackburne, British High Commissioner Dónal Cronin, Chargé d’Affaires of Ireland Stefano A Dejak, Ambassador of Italy Scott H. DeLisi, U.S Ambassador Klaus Dieter Düxmann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Dan E. Frederiksen, Ambassador of Denmark Sofie From-Emmesberger, Ambassador of Finland Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther, Ambassador of Norway Alain Hanssen, Ambassador of Belgium Alphons Hennekens, Ambassador of the Netherlands Simone Knapp, Head of Office, Austrian Embassy Development Cooperation Sophie Makame, Ambassador of France Gisli Palsson, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of Iceland Kristian Schmidt, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union Geoff Tooth, Australian High Commissioner