Gay Briton and Ugandan partner face jail

[isanbirder]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/14/gay-briton-uganda-sex-images-jail

A gay British man and his Ugandan partner are facing possible jail terms after images of them having sex were published in one of the east African country's newspapers.

Bernard Randall, 65, originally from Faversham in Kent, faces a charge of trafficking obscene material which could carry a two-year prison sentence.

His partner, 30-year-old Albert Cheptoyek, faces a more serious charge of gross indecency which could see him put behind bars for up to seven years. Both men are due in court to answer bail on Monday.

Randall says the stills of him having sex appeared in a tabloid following the theft of a laptop containing private videos from the apartment where he was staying on holiday.

[Scott]

Isanbirder, I simply can't believe you until I see a link ..... to the pictures, not the story!

On a more serious note, it is a very situation.

[isanbirder]

Isanbirder, I simply can't believe you until I see a link ..... to the pictures, not the story!

On a more serious note, it is a very situation.

Believe me, Scott? But I haven't said anything! The words were all from the Guardian.

Yes, it's a very situation..... come again, Scott, a very WHAT situation?

Now THIS is from me. I doubt whether the man would survive two years in a Ugandan jail.

[Scott]

Sorry, it's a very sad and serious situation.

I was posting and trying to talk on the phone at the same time.

[uptheos]

It does say "Uganda has one of the most homophobic climates in Africa including draconian laws". Reading further, it sounds a most horrific place on earth to be for a gay person. So I ask the question why would a gay person who only came out as a gay after his 40th wedding anniversary, choose to stay there, let alone allow anything incriminating to be on the laptop?

I hope that he gets out AND leaves the country.... in one piece!

[LeCharivari]

It does say "Uganda has one of the most homophobic climates in Africa including draconian laws". Reading further, it sounds a most horrific place on earth to be for a gay person. So I ask the question why would a gay person who only came out as a gay after his 40th wedding anniversary, choose to stay there, let alone allow anything incriminating to be on the laptop?

I hope that he gets out AND leaves the country.... in one piece!

He was there on holiday with his Ugandan boyfriend ... but I agree with you, that making videos and storing them on his laptop was not the wisest thing to do, although we can all be wise with the benefit of hindsight.

No reflection on you whatsoever, but I can only repeat what I have said elsewhere ... that there seems to be an inordinate amount of interest in the plight of gays elsewhere and those who are "like us" or "our friend" , but comparatively little interest in that of the hundreds of thousands of African gays who do not have the option of living elsewhere. Uganda is not only a member of the Commonwealth but also hosted the Commonwealth Local Government Forum this year , without significant protest.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/ugandas-anti-gay-bill-causes-commonwealth-uproar/article4196948/

[sustento]

Indeed. Mister Tatchell's take on the matter:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/peter-g-tatchell/commonwealth-homophobia_b_4274657.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

[LeCharivari]

Indeed. Mister Tatchell's take on the matter:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/peter-g-tatchell/commonwealth-homophobia_b_4274657.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

I am far from an unqualified Tatchell fan, but in this instance he's spot on - even understating things.

[isanbirder]

I agree entirely (except as below!).

Referring to your previous post, LeC, I think it's human nature to have more concern about 'your own' people, or people with whom you have some connection. For my own part, as I've lived all my adult life in Asia, my sympathies are more with Asians than with Africans (though that doesn't prevent me starting threads about Africans!).

One thing I dislike about these general condemnations like Tatchell's is that they fail to distinguish between what is on the law books and what is actually enforced. For example, for much of the time I lived in Hong Kong, homosexuality was illegal, but nobody bothered about it. The police chief had an ongoing affair with his driver. Urban Malaysia is much the same, I believe, though I wouldn't try anything on in Kota Bahru!

[isanbirder]

"A human rights organisation that supports gay and lesbian individuals in countries where homosexuality is outlawed has been denied charitable status on the grounds that it is not sufficiently of "public benefit""

.http://www.theguardian.com/law/2013/nov/17/human-dignity-trust-charity-commission

So much for the British Government's concern for embattled gays!

Edited November 18, 2013 by isanbirder

[LeCharivari]

I agree entirely (except as below!).

Referring to your previous post, LeC, I think it's human nature to have more concern about 'your own' people, or people with whom you have some connection. For my own part, as I've lived all my adult life in Asia, my sympathies are more with Asians than with Africans (though that doesn't prevent me starting threads about Africans!).

One thing I dislike about these general condemnations like Tatchell's is that they fail to distinguish between what is on the law books and what is actually enforced. For example, for much of the time I lived in Hong Kong, homosexuality was illegal, but nobody bothered about it. The police chief had an ongoing affair with his driver. Urban Malaysia is much the same, I believe, though I wouldn't try anything on in Kota Bahru!

I agree with you entirely, but it just really jars when someone refers to someone else as "our friend" or "our brother" just because we have some accident of birth in common, whether that's our colour, our nationality, our old school tie, or our sexual preference.

That may make it easier for me to empathise, but it does NOT make them my friend!

[LeCharivari]

"A human rights organisation that supports gay and lesbian individuals in countries where homosexuality is outlawed has been denied charitable status on the grounds that it is not sufficiently of "public benefit""

.http://www.theguardian.com/law/2013/nov/17/human-dignity-trust-charity-commission

So much for the British Government's concern for embattled gays!

What "concern"?

[sustento]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nightmare-is-over-for-gay-briton-bernard-randall-put-on-trial-in-uganda-after-images-of-him-having-sex-were-stolen--by-thieves-and-used-against-him-in-blackmail-plot-8967788.html