A posed posed portrait of 20 year old Rihana (standing, not his real name), with his friend and room mate Kim, 25. In early 2014 they were evicted by their landlord and severely beaten by the local community. The police intervened and both were arrested and charged with ‘Homosexuality’. They spent seven months in prison awaiting trial “we were taken to prison and we had hard life e.g. we were beaten, forced to do hard work” says Rihana. They complain that they are continuously harassed by the police. Uganda. Uganda, September 2014. While many countries around the world are legally recognizing same-sex relationships, individuals in nearly 80 countries face criminal sanctions for private consensual relations with another adult of the same sex. Violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender expression is even more widespread. Africa is becoming the worst continent for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer, Inter-sex (LGBTQI) individuals. More than two thirds of African countries have laws criminalizing consensual same-sex acts. In some, homosexuality is punishable by death. In Nigeria new homophobic laws introduced in 2013 led to dramatic increase in attacks. Under Sharia Law, homosexuality is punishable by death, up to 50 lashes and six months in prison for woman; for men elsewhere, up to 14 years in prison. Same sex acts are illegal in Uganda. A discriminatory law was passed then struck down and homophobic attacks rose tenfold after the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. In Cameroon it is also illegal. More cases against suspected homosexuals are brought here than any other African country. In stark contrast with the rest of the continent, same sex relationships are legal in South Africa. The country has the most liberal laws toward gays and lesbians on the continent, with a constitution guaranteeing LBGTQI rights. Because of this, LGBTQI Africans from all over the continent fleeing persecution have come to South Africa. Despite these laws, many lesbians have been victims of ‘corrective rape’ and homosexuals have been murdered for their sexuality. Homophobia is by no means just an African problem. In Russia, politicians spread intolerance. In June 2013 the country passed a law making “propaganda” about “non-traditional sexual relationships” a crime. Attacks against gays rose. Videos of gay men being tortured have been posted online. In predominantly Muslim Malaysia, law currently provides for whipping and up to a 20-year prison sentence for homosexual acts involving either men or women. Increased extreme Islamification in the Middle East is making life more dangerous for gay men there, as evidenced by ISIS’s recent murders of homosexual men. While homophobic discrimination is widespread in Lebanon, life is much safer there than Iran, Iraq, and Syria from which refugees are fleeing due to homophobic persecution. Photo Robin Hammond/Panos for Witness Change

Rihana & Kim /

In early 2014 they were evicted by their landlord and severely beaten by the local community. The police intervened and both were arrested and charged with ‘Homosexuality’. They spent seven months in prison awaiting trial. They complain that they are continuously harassed by the police.

“We were arrested on 6th Jan 2014
On that day, there first came mukisa’s land lord and warned him to what was coming next so there passed five minutes when the chairman & village mates came asking we should put everything out. We also put them out and we were taken to old Kampala police and forced to make a statement.
There passed one week in the police station and we were taken to prison and we had hard life e.g we were beaten, forced to do hard work.
We spent five months there (in prison) and we came out but we are suffering a lot and we are not feeling well about the society.
The reason why we were taken to prison is that we were charged of homosexuality (or being gays).”

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