By Melanie Nathan, April 08, 2023.
Police admit forced anal exams, forced HIV testing and promise more medical exams, in face of torture and forced confessions. They seize phones to oust friends, clients and leadership.
UPDATED April 17, 2023- All six men denied bail in Court today.
The Ugandan Territorial Police in Kiira and Jinja City have arrested and have in custody 6 young men, who are peer educators working for a healthcare organization that provides services to LGBTQI+ people and are falsely accusing them of “forming part of a criminal sexual network.” The arrests and accusations have formed part of an orchestrated hunt and sting to shut down all LGBTQI+ and Human Rights related organizations in Uganda as part of an effort to rid Uganda and Africa “of all homosexuality” and LGBTQI+ people, as called to by President Yoweri Museveni, who has in his hands, for assent, the newly passed Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 (The Kill the GAYS BILL), which includes 10 years-life in prison and the death penalty. Pic: From Police website - and platformed further on Facebook, by Ugandan Police.
The call to target, attack, raid, shut down and arrest personnel is evidenced by an internal document which African Human Rights received, which names organizations under false accusations. Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Bureau for NGOs. HERE is the set up to target these groups, based on this false and persecutory report of the Ministry:
As it happens several organizations have already been shut down and are for the most part defunct, to include umbrella organization SMUG. The six men now in custody, were working for an organization that is named in this document for target by the Bureau. The false language used by Ugandan police to set up these young men as it appears directly from police reporting on their public website is as follows, using their names publicly (which we have redacted so as not to perpetuate the persecution and danger these men and their families now face forever, regardless of outcome: “The men were actively involved in the grooming of young boys into acts of sodomy, recruiting of male adults into gay practices, recording of pornographic and sex videos of children and other unnatural sex practices. The suspects who were arrested from Mpumudde zone, in Jinja City include; xxxxxxxxx, a 23 year old, Peer educator and resident of xxxxxxxx cell, Kasubi division, in Kampala, xxxxxxxx alias XXXXX XXXXXX a 23 year old, peer educator of Wabulenga “A” cell, Jinja Northern Division, in Jinja City; XXXXX XXXX alias XXXXXXX, a 26 year old, peer educator of Mbiko in Buikwe district, XXXXX XXXXX, a 29 year old, Director, of Peace and comfort based organization and resident of Mpumudde cell in Jinja City; XXXXX. XXXXXX a student counselor from Nansana cell, in Wakiso district and XXXXX XXXXX, a 24 year old, peer educator at Alive Medical Services in Namungona, and a resident of Kulekana cell in Makindye division, Kampala.
Upon search at the home of XXXXXXXX and XXXXX, Tangible exhibits were recovered which included; 192 Sackets of Lubricants, shirts and stags with LGBTQ Logos, metallic banner of peace and comfort with LGBTQ flag. It was established that members of the criminal sex gang recorded sex videos and also streamed live sessions, which they submitted to LGBTQ donors for funding of their activities. The 6 suspects were examined and some found to be HIV positive. More medical tests are being carried out. Efforts are in place to trace for their victims, who are silent and in hiding.
We are continuing to get concerns of several criminal sexual networks that are actively involved in sex trafficking of minors and teenage boys, who are recruited into acts of sodomy and other unnatural practices in Busoga region, Wakiso and Kampala area.
The major grooming methods are the boyfriend model, where victims are introduced to a boy or manfriend, and groomed. As well as the so-called party model, where the victims are targeted by groups of men, who lure them into gatherings, sex parties with offers of money, and gifts as well as drinks and drugs. These acts of sex trafficking of male juvenile is heinous and disturbing crime, which calls upon every Ugandan, to concert efforts in fighting it. Our inquiries are being extended beyond the 6 suspects, with a wider scope of safeguarding the public and any other victims of child sexual exploitation.
We are meanwhile, seeking more information regarding residential locations in neighborhoods, where acts of sexual trafficking and other unusual activities are taking place and encourages the public to report to the Police National Operations Command Centre on telephone contacts 0707-600773, 0776999136 or toll-free number 0800199699. Information is treated with confidence.
The arrest and aggressive pursuit of the sex gang members, their sponsors, is still active and ongoing.” In analyzing the accusation of the police and with direct information received at African Human Rights Coalition from informants it is clear that all articles found as exhibits were nothing more than harmless rainbow merchandize symbols which so many LGBTQI+ organizations around the world treasure as symbols of Pride and freedom. You will notice the language around allegations of videos and porn. The police have no such evidence, as they use language “IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT” – as opposed to the merchandise language where they have “TANGIBLE EVIDENCE.” This is tantamount to an admission by police that they have tortured the young men into so called “confessions” - as evidenced by information we have received at African Human Rights Coalition. We have also received reports of forced anal exams, forced HIV testing, and this is admitted to by the police in their above statement, where the note “The 6 suspects were examined and some found to be HIV positive. More medical tests are being carried out” The police are also admitting that they plan to continue similar hunts against others.
Let me make it clear. African Human Rights Coalition has worked for years with these groups and young people who are peer educators. We refute the idea as lies and persecution and an excuse for the impending genocide, that these men and others now in hiding and being hunted as well-meaning non-criminal educators who do nothing but help people.
There is no such thing as “promotion of homosexuality.” It is a lie to suggest that there is nefarious sexual exploitation at the helm of the work of these good people. There are support organizations to help people understand their natural sexuality and the complexity of navigating health related situations in a criminalizing country. All funders aid in the pursuit of equality, education, with intentions aimed at the good health and well-being of young people. The lies of the Ugandan police are established to seek to justify the Ugandan Governments attempt to eradicate homosexuality as called for publicly by Parliamentarians and the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni. And the entire escapade has the fingerprint of United States Evangelicals and their organizations, well documented attack on global and African LGBTQI+ people and communities- an effort to rid the world of gays. Indeed Sharon Slater, who just visited Entebbe, to promote her anti-homosexuality agenda, and all this dating back to Scott Lively – Lou Engels (G-Loves Uganda) Pastor Martin Ssempa.
The U.S. evangelical relationship with Ugandan politicians, to include Museveni provides the perfect symbiotic atmosphere for scapegoating gays, lesbians, trans, bi, intersex people to avoid the real human rights related truths of Uganda. The oppressive dictatorial regime of Museveni- president for over 36 years continues to shine in corruption, oppressions of all freedoms and this is the one issue that keeps him powerfully in power. With this all said – Please read - FACEBOOK is complicit, as it is platforming the Ugandan POLICE persecution of these very men. Allowing the false information to its platform as can be seen HERE, is perpetuating and promoting the physical danger and persecution of innocent men, based on homophobia and lies. African Human Rights Coalition asked Facebook to take it down, We want the Ugandan Police banned off Facebook Immediately.
We have also received reports of forced anal exams, forced HIV testing, torture, forced confessions, and this is admitted by the police in their above statement, where the note “The 6 suspects were examined and some found to be HIV positive. More medical tests are being carried out” The police are also admitting that they plan to continue similar hunts against others. We have further reports that the men in custody had phones confiscated and through torture have been forced to give up names of those in leadership positions, clients of health services, all of whom are in hiding now forcibly displaced.
The men in custody will be in Court April 17th. They have legal representation. African Human Rights Coalition is helping to provide food and other financial aid for safe shelter etc.
Please stay tuned for UPDATES.
FACEBOOK COMPLICIT IN PERSECUTION OF GAYS IN UGANDA HERE.
CONTACT MELANIE NATHAN, AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COALITION