UGANDA: Gay activist murdered after being outed by newspaper that called for homosexuals to be executed was likely killed during robbery, say police

Record ID: 277088

  • Title: UGANDA: Gay activist murdered after being outed by newspaper that called for homosexuals to be executed was likely killed during robbery, say police
  • Date: 28th January 2011
  • Summary: KAMPALA, UGANDA (JANUARY 27, 2011) (REUTERS) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) WIDE SHOT OF UGANDA DEPUTY POLICE SPOKESMAN VINCENT SEKATE AT A NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UGANDA DEPUTY POLICE SPOKEMAN, VINCENT SEKATE, SAYING: "I want to make it very clear that it is not linked to him being an activist of the sexual minorities. It was basically an independent crime which we are
  • Embargoed: 12th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uganda, Uganda
  • Country: Uganda
  • Topics: Communications
  • Reuters ID: LVABD7EPSD2G9OZL8ROMJ49WFB56
  • Story Text: A Ugandan gay rights activist murdered after his photo was printed on the cover of a newspaper that called for gays to be executed was likely killed during a robbery, police said on Thursday (January 27).
    Uganda Deputy Police spokesman Vincent Sekate told a news conference in the capital Kampala that one man had been arrested in connection with the killing and that they were looking for another man who had been staying with Kato after the activist bailed him out of prison on Monday.
    Sekate said the death should not be linked to him being an activist of sexual minority but as a crime.
    "I want to make it very clear that it is not linked to him being an activist of the sexual minorities. It was basically an independent crime which we are taking very serious and we are going to investigate it up to its logical conclusion," Uganda deputy police spokesman said.
    David Kato was one of three people featured in Uganda's Rolling Stone newspaper in October who won an injunction this month barring it from continuing its anti-gay campaign that had pictured gays under the headline: "Hang Them."
    Kato said he had received death threats since Rolling Stone's publication.
    The murder sparked worldwide condemnation from human rights groups and governments abroad.
    Rights groups and gay campaigners were quick to condemn the attack on Thursday with many calling on Uganda to quash a tabled parliamentary bill that proposes a death penalty for gays who are "repeat offenders".
    A human rights watch researcher based in Uganda's capital Kampala described Kato as an outspoken member of Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and Trans Gender (LGBT) and had led in the campaign against proposed anti homosexual bill that was tabled in parliament.
    "David Kato was an out spoken member of the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and trans gender) and the human rights community of Uganda. He was a member of Sexual Minorities Uganda, an organisation which has been in the lead for fighting against the proposed anti-homosexuality bill. He had travelled internationally. He had condemned the proposed legislation. He had spoken at public events about the problem of anti-homosexual rhetoric in Uganda and his name and his photos have been publicised in the Rolling Stone magazine with a sub-heading that said; 'Hang Them'. So he had certainly been exposed in Uganda. He has certainly been outspoken and we remain very concerned about what might have led to his death," said Human Rights Watch researcher Maria Burnet.
    The bill was quietly shelved after international pressure, but rights groups fear it may be passed after a February presidential election that Museveni is expected to win.
    "We have long been concerned that because of the homophobia in Uganda activists from the community of lesbian and gay Bi-Sexual and trans-gender people were at risk. There have been incident in the past where the community has certainly faced threats and given the incidents of Rolling Stone publishing names and photos of some of the LGBT community, I think certainly we have very real concerns about what is behind David Kato's killing. But I think what is important is that no one makes conclusions yet, that the police carries out thorough investigations, that we all remain concerned about protecting members of the LGBT community now and that is something we have all said even before David was killed," Burnet added.
    Kato was attacked at home and died on the way to hospital. Police said he had been bludgeoned to death with a hammer.
    Homosexuality is taboo in many African nations -- including Uganda. It is illegal in 37 countries on the continent and activists say few Africans are openly gay, fearing imprisonment, violence and loss of jobs.
    Rolling Stone published 29 photographs with names and, in some cases, addresses before the High Court ordered it to stop on grounds of privacy.
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