️ Two women have been arrested and detained in Uganda for allegedly kissing in public, an act considered "same-sex activity" that can lead to a life sentence under the country's harsh anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

️ Wendy Faith, a 22-year-old musician known as Torrero Bae, and Alesi Diana Denise, 21, were taken into custody after police raided their rented room in Arua City in north-west Uganda last week. Police spokesperson Josephine Angucia stated that information was received about "queer and unusual acts believed to be sexual in nature."

️ The pair have been in custody since their arrest, and it is unclear if or when they will be formally charged. Uganda's autocratic President Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act into law in May 2023, despite international and regional outrage.

️ The law is one of the world's harshest anti-LGBTQ+ legislations, including life imprisonment for same-sex relationships and the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality." Frank Mugisha, executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, called the incident "unjust and deeply troubling."

️ Activists have condemned a growing wave of blackmail and extortion linked to accusations and arrests, endangering the lives of LGBTQ+ community members. A Human Rights Watch report in May 2025 accused Ugandan authorities of widespread discrimination and violence since the law's enactment.

Source: www.theguardian.com