Minister tells Ugandan government about concerns over human rights

UGANDAN authorities have been warned of Ireland’s concern over human rights issues, including proposed laws which could impose the death penalty for gay sex.

A draconian bill likely to be passed in the Ugandan parliament would dole out jail sentences to anyone who talks about homosexuality or who fails to report gay people to the police.

Ireland donates €166 million in aid to Uganda a year. And on the first day of his visit to the east African country, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said he “made our position clear” in a meeting with the Ugandan foreign minister and the Uganda Human Rights Commission.