Human Rights First has condemned legislative efforts introduced recently in Uganda and Russia that aim to discriminate and persecute LGBTI individuals, according to a Feb. 8 press release. The group notes that from Kampala to Saint Petersburg, lawmakers around the world are trying to limit the rights of their own citizens who are gay.
“While gay rights are generally advancing globally, more efforts must be made to push back against new restrictions that represent a backlash from those on the side of bigotry and intolerance,” said Human Rights First’s Paul LeGendre. “Our partners on the ground are telling us that the Ugandan bill was reintroduced in Parliament yesterday, and just this morning, legislators in Saint Petersburg passed a widely supported ‘Anti-Propaganda’ Bill targeting the LGBTI community.”