A subsidiary of telecoms giant Orange has pulled advertising from Red Pepper, a tabloid newspaper in Uganda.
It has been reported that a subsidiary of Orange has pulled its advertising from Red Pepper, a tabloid which controversially published a list of ‘Uganda’s 200 top homos’ in Uganda – after new laws which make homosexual acts illegal were introduced in February.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed the law in February 2014
Red Pepper came under heavy international criticism after publishing a list of known homosexuals calling for them to be hunted down.
Over 77,000 signatures were collected on a petitioning site. Orange announced the cut with Red Pepper via Twitter
“We commend Orange for their leadership in reaction to the Anti-Homosexuality Law” said Andre Banks, Executive Director and co-founder of All Out, an international organization building the global movement for gay rights.
“Orange’s decision to withdraw their advertising and to explicitly support their LGBT employees should ring alarm bells for Ugandan politicians and business people about the impact this law could have on the national economy”.
The anti-homosexual law states:
Life imprisonment for gay sex, including oral sex
Life imprisonment for “aggravated homosexuality”, including sex with a minor or while HIV-positive
Life imprisonment for living in a same-sex marriage
Seven years for “attempting to commit homosexuality”
Between five and seven years in jail or a $40,700 (£24,500) fine or both for the promotion of homosexuality
Businesses or non-governmental organisations found guilty of the promotion of homosexuality would have their certificates of registration cancelled and directors could face seven years in jail.