[iStockPhoto]Uganda's LGBTQ community is enduring increased online abuse, and the authorities are waging a "witch-hunt" against anyone perceived to be promoting homosexuality, Amnesty International warned on Wednesday. Online attacks against members of the LGBTQ community have surged since the law was introduced, Amnesty said in a new report, citing cases of doxing, outing, threats of violence, blackmail, impersonation, hacking and disinformation. Online abuse has "devastating consequences" for LGBTQ people, said Shreshtha Das, Amnesty's gender researcher and adviser. Amnesty added that the use of derogatory language against LGBTQ people was pervasive online, while disinformation campaigns depicted members of the community in harmful ways, including as "sexual predators". The rights group called for the Ugandan parliament to repeal the controversial law and for the authorities to conduct independent investigations into online abuse.

Source: Daily Nation November 15, 2024 18:04 UTC