Uganda: 2 arrested for watching ‘Sex and the City’
by Colin Stewart
Update from Spectrum Uganda on the latest police harassment in Kampala:
Steven
Dhont (center), Kenyan friend (left) and their attorney Francis Onyango
(right) talk outside the Kiira Road police station (Photo courtesy of
ChimpReports.com)
Steven
Dhont, a Belgian national, and a Kenyan friend who had come for a short
weekend visit heard a knock at the door at 12 a.m. Sunday night [the
night of Jan. 26-27] as they were watching a movie while in indoor
boxers and vest. As Steven opened the door, he [found] armed policemen
from Ntinda police station who ordered him and the friend to immediately
get out the way. They were dressed.
They
quickly responded and the police removed the movie they were watching,
"Sex in the City" and shut the door behind them and told them to board
the van to the police station, without any word or letter of arrest.
While
at the Ntinda police station, the police recorded statements and
decided to transfer the duo to Kiira Road police station. ...
As
a way of gathering more evidence, the police decided to subject the duo
to a medical check to investigate if there was any anal penetration
done.
Today
28th January, the duo was paraded before the media houses pictured them
for publication which we anticipate today or other national news to
come up.
While
in the hospital, Steven declined a medical test, claiming lack of trust
from police, since his lawyer was not around, not even his embassy, and
the police recorded it as a sabotage of evidence and investigations.
On
arrival of the lawyer, Mr. Francis Onyango, the police CID [Criminal
Investigations Directorate] ordered an immediate search of Steven's
house in order to acquire more information that could help them in the
case.
That's the case as per this afternoon, but the lawyer and team from Spectrum Uganda Initiatives and SMUG [Sexual Minorities Uganda] are in negotiations with the police to get the case solved as soon as possible.
The Ugandan tabloid Chimp Reports
claimed that the men were a couple and reportedly were "caught in the
act by police detectives." It added, "The couple is expected in court
on Tuesday to answer charges of engaging in sexual acts which are
against the order of nature."
The O-blog-dee advocacy blog commented:
All said and done, no matter the outcome, by virtue of the police parade and how the Ugandan press reports so subjectively and judgmentally, these men’s lives are now forever ruined in Uganda.What makes this even worse is that given this behavior by authorities, no one is safe from witch hunts. This fate could befall anyone – as long as someone has a grudge or as long as a politician wants to oppress an opponent, this tirade against homosexuality will be the weapon of choice.
Related articles
- Ugandan Police arrest two men for watching "gay porn" (sebaspace.wordpress.com)
- Ugandan Police Persecute by Public Parading Men Accused of Being Gay (oblogdeeoblogda.me)
- Even if Uganda's anti-gay bill dies, more worries ahead (76crimes.com)
- Uganda police make arrest, then seek evidence (76crimes.com)
- Briton held over gay sex video to be deported from Uganda (theguardian.com)
- Ugandan faces death threats after partner deported over gay sex video (theguardian.com)
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