Ugandan human rights activists have filed a petition challenging a decision that upheld the contentious, harsh anti-homosexuality laws that carry the death sentence for those convicted of same-sex acts.

The country's constitutional court rejected to overturn Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) in April, despite campaigners' requests that the law be declared unconstitutional and a violation of fundamental rights.

The court only struck down a few elements incompatible with the rights to health, privacy, and religious freedom.

PHOTO | COURTESY human rights activists 

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According to rights groups, the law has increased abuses against sexual minorities in the nation, with over 1,000 incidents reported in the previous nine months involving arrests, torture, and house evictions, among other things.

One of the petitioners' lawyers, Nicholas Opiyo, stated on the X platform that "we will wait for the Supreme Court's directions and are optimistic for an expedited hearing of the case."

According to court documents seen by Reuters, the petitioners, including a lawmaker and Uganda's most prominent LGBTQ rights campaigner, Frank Mugisha, claimed that the constitutional court erred in dismissing their argument that the law violates "the right to human dignity and protection from inhumane and degrading treatment."

PHOTO | COURTESY Human rights activists 

Same-sex intercourse is punished by life in prison, while "aggravated homosexuality" carries a death sentence, among other grave punishments.

Promotion of homosexuality is prohibited, and violators risk up to 20 years in prison.