"Nowadays, digital spaces, which are so vital for LGBTQ people in Uganda, are often no safer than offline spaces — they are experiencing discrimination and violence in both."
Roland Ebole, Amnesty International’s Uganda researcher
Ugandan LGBTQQIA+ people and activists use social media platforms and other digital spaces to mobilize against human rights abuses and violations and to advocate for a range of human right issues. Despite the opportunities it presents, criminalization of LGBTQ people leads to them facing several challenges, including technology facilitated gender-based violence (TfGBV) while using digitally mediated spaces. Urge the Government of Uganda to act now to make it safe online for LGBTQQIA+ people.
The ability to communicate and come together online can an empowering force for good. But the prevalence of gender-based violence in digital spaces (amplified through digital tools) serves to further marginalize people who already face discrimination, especially those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
In Uganda, Amnesty International has documented countless stories of TfGBV against LGBTQQIA+ people carried out by state and non-state actors which has increased with the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023 (AHA 2023) in May 2023 as well as the continuous failure of the Ugandan authorities to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of LGBTQQIA+ people
The TfGBV perpetrated against LGBTQQIA+ people and organizations has presented itself in various ways, such as doxing, outing, accessing data of LGBTQQIA+ people and organizations without their consent, trolling, harassment, threats of physical violence and death, blackmail, extortion, disinformation etc.
These attacks are detrimental to people’s everyday life. In many instances, the online threats have translated into offline harms, including both verbal and physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and detentions. They have seriously harmed people’s mental and physical health, their livelihood and housing, social lives, and ability to freely express themselves or engage in activism.
_________________