Court upholds decision to deny registration of gay rights group

Three justices of the Court of Appeal, led by Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, have upheld a High Court decision that registering organizations promoting LGBTQ activities is illegal. The case originated from a 2016 appeal filed by three gay rights activists: Frank Mugisha, Dennis Wamala, and Joanita Mary Ssenfuka. They challenged the Uganda Registration Services Bureau’s (URSB) refusal to register the name “Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG).” The URSB, in a letter dated February 16, 2016, cited the organization’s objectives as conflicting with public policy and national interests. The activists argued that the URSB’s decision violated their constitutional rights and amounted to unfair treatment. They sued the URSB and sought a High Court order to reverse the decision. However, on June […]