Ugandan court rules for gays in outing case

Uganda's Kampala High Court ruled January 3 that media outlets cannot out gays or urge that they be hanged. The case stemmed from an October 2010 article in Uganda's Rolling Stone newspaper (no relation to the American publication of the same name) that published photos of 100 alleged homosexuals and suggested that gays could be hanged to discourage alleged recruitment of children. The newspaper wrote: "The mighty Rolling Stone is glad to reveal some of the most horrible secrets in gay community, which is bent on recruiting at least one million members by 2012. Dishearteningly, gays are after young kids, who are easily brainwashed towards bisexual orientation. ... The leaked pictures of Uganda's top homosexuals and lesbians have renewed calls for the strengthening of the war against the rampage that threatens the future of our generation by hanging gays. 'Unless government takes a bold step by hanging dozens of homosexuals, the vice will continue eating up the moral fiber and culture of our great nation,' ... said a radical church leader who preferred anonymity." Three people who were named sued the newspaper. The high court determined that the three suffered violations of their constitutional rights to life (Article 24) and to privacy of the person and the home (Article 27).