UGANDA/FILE: Gay rights activist is beaten to death in his Kampala home

Record ID: 277263

  • Title: UGANDA/FILE: Gay rights activist is beaten to death in his Kampala home
  • Date: 28th January 2011
  • Summary: KAMPALA, UGANDA (JANUARY 27, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR SHOT OF GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST DAVID KATO'S RESIDENCE VARIOUS OF MOURNERS SEATED OUTSIDE THE LATE DAVID KATO'S HOUSE DAVID'S LAWYER FRANCIS ONYANGO WALKING PAST THE CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST'S LAWYER, FRANCIS ONYANGO, SAYING: "We now know that he was hit twice on the head by an assailant and thi
  • Embargoed: 12th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uganda
  • Country: Uganda
  • Reuters ID: LVAD32L0OCMUV7MEQ239QUT5XZOR
  • Story Text: A Ugandan gay rights activist who was last year featured with other gays in a newspaper article headlined "Hang Them" has been beaten to death in his Kampala home, rights groups said on Thursday (January 27).
    David Kato was one of three people featured in the Ugandan Rolling Stone newspaper who this month won an injunction barring it from continuing its anti-gay campaign.
    Kato's lawyer, Francis Onyango said those who killed David hit him twice on the head but could not specify what weapon was used.
    "We now know that he was hit twice on the head by an assailant and this led to his death while on his way to hospital," said Kato's lawyer Francis Onyango.
    It was a sombre mood as mourners gathered outside Kato's residence trying to come to terms with what befell him.
    Uganda's anti-gay movement first made international headlines in October 2009 when a bill was proposed in the country's parliament proposing the death penalty for homosexuals who are "repeat offenders".
    It is not clear whether the murder is linked to Kato's activism or to his outing in the newspaper. Kato claimed to have received death threats since its publication.
    "Right now we would not like to speculate about what the motives were and what they are linked to, I think in about two days, we shall possibly know from the police what the statements are and if any arrests have been made, we shall then know what the motives are, as for now, we will do well leaving all the options open," lawyer, Francis Onyango added.
    Homosexuality is deeply unpopular in many African nations, where some see it as a Western import. 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.
    The first article -- which featured Kato -- ran under the headlines, "100 pictures of Uganda's top homos leak" and "Hang them".
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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