Just in time for the holiday season here in the states comes word that Ugandan lawmakers are “softening” proposed legislation that would have called for gays and lesbians to be put to death in some circumstances.

Ugandan officials had earlier denied rumors that the law would be changed to remove the death penalty. Maybe they mean it this time.

Under the original proposal “serial offenders”, and those who commit “aggravated homosexuality”, faced a death sentence. But Ethics and Integrity Minister Nsaba Buturo has told Reuters that the revised law would now probably limit the maximum penalty for offenders to life in prison rather than execution.

“There have been a lot of discussions in government … regarding the proposed law, but we now think a life sentence could be better because it gives room for offenders to be rehabilitated,” Buturo told Reuters. “Killing them might not be helpful.”

Gee, ain’t that kind of them!

— Tammye Nash

Tags: Buturo, death penalty, gay, lesbian, Uganda

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 2:59 pm and is filed under Discrimination, crime. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.