British Medical Association condemns ‘bad science’ used to justify Ugandan anti-gay law
The British Medical Association (BMA), has written to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, to demand that he withdraws a law increasing penalties for those convicted of homosexuality.
The law calls for repeat offenders to be sentenced to 14 years in prison and makes it a criminal offence not to report someone for being gay.
The BMA’s Director of Professional Activities Vivienne Nathanson, wrote to Museveni in protest against the law.
She said: “I request that you give every consideration to the withdrawal of this piece of legislation at the earliest opportunity.”
Going on, she questioned the “bad science” of the report on which Museveni justified his decision to sign the bill.
“It is deeply disturbing that any country should pass legislation enacting discrimination against any group — in this case homosexuals.
“It is equally disturbing that the legislature was aided by so-called medical experts who reinforced bad science and prejudice,” she wrote.
Sweden has also said it will review its aid spending, and the UK confirmed that, due to a corruption scandal in 2013, the Ugandan Government was not in receipt of direct aid money.
