Two women in their 20s have been detained by Ugandan police after neighbours accused them of kissing in public, an act criminalised under Uganda’s strict Anti-Homosexuality Act.
According to police, the arrests took place on Wednesday 18 February in Arua, a city in the north-west of Uganda. In a statement released on Tuesday, authorities said the women were taken into custody after residents reported what they described as same-sex behaviour.
Police say neighbours photographed the women before contacting officers. The pair remain in detention and have not yet been granted access to legal representation, according to the Agence France-Presse.
Uganda enforces some of the harshest laws against homosexuality in the world. Under the legislation, consensual same-sex relationships can carry a life sentence, while what the law terms “aggravated” cases — including repeat offences or acts involving minors or vulnerable people — can result in the death penalty.
Local police spokesperson Josephine Angucia told AFP that neighbours alleged the two women had been “practising homosexuality” and were seen kissing openly in public. She added that residents also reported groups of women frequently visiting the pair’s one-bedroom home and staying overnight, which they believed indicated same-sex gatherings.
Police identified the suspects as a 22-year-old entertainer and a 21-year-old unemployed woman, saying they had lived together since last year. Angucia said the case has been forwarded to prosecutors, who will determine whether formal charges should be filed and court proceedings initiated.
The arrests have drawn criticism from human rights activists. Frank Mugisha, a prominent campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda, condemned the detentions in a post on X. He said the case underscored the growing dangers faced by LGBTQ+ people in the country and warned that the law has fuelled blackmail and extortion, as many victims fear reporting abuse to authorities.
Uganda is a predominantly Christian and socially conservative nation and has been under intense international scrutiny since the law came into force in May 2023. The legislation has been widely condemned by the United Nations, Western governments, and global human rights groups.
In response to the law, the World Bank temporarily suspended new lending to Uganda, citing concerns over discrimination and human rights violations, before resuming funding in 2025.
