Two women in Uganda who were arrested in February for kissing have been granted bail after months behind bars.
The women, identified as Wendy Faith, 22, and Alesi Diana, 21, were detained after police raided their residence on 18 February following complaints from neighbours.
When they were arrested, police accused them of breaking the country’s harsh laws against homosexuality, saying they were “practising homosexuality”, “being involved in queer and unnatural acts believed to be of a sexual nature”, and had been “openly kissing each other in broad daylight”.
If found guilty, they could be sentenced to life behind bars.
Human rights group Amnesty East Africa has called for the charges to be dropped.
They have also called for the Ugandan government to repeal the laws that criminalise same‑sex sexual relations and to grant all people equal rights under the law, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Alex Müller, Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch, has also drawn attention to the case, saying the Ugandan laws contravene the country’s obligations under international human rights law.
