Two young women arrested in Uganda in February, reportedly for kissing in public, have been released from jail while they await trial under the country’s harsh Anti-Homosexuality Act. Activists say the women, widely identified as Wendy, 22, and Diana, 21, were granted bail this week after spending weeks in detention.
The pair were detained on 18 February in the northern city of Arua after police raided their room following a complaint from neighbours. At the time, police accused them of “practising homosexuality”, being involved in “queer and unusual acts believed to be sexual in nature”, and “openly kissing each other in broad daylight”. Under Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, they could face life imprisonment if convicted.
Ugandan human rights activist Frank Mugisha confirmed their release, saying on X that the women were now back home with their families and in good spirits. But he also made clear that their legal battle is far from over, warning that they still face active charges under the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Mugisha, along with Amnesty International’s East Africa office, has called on Ugandan authorities to drop the charges altogether. Amnesty has also urged the government to repeal the Anti-Homosexuality Act and guarantee equal rights and legal protection for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
Since the law came into force in May 2023, rights groups say Uganda has recorded hundreds of violations targeting LGBTIQ+ people, including arrests, evictions, extortion and other abuses. The legislation is among the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the world. It allows life imprisonment for same-sex acts and includes the death penalty for so-called “aggravated homosexuality”, a category covering certain cases involving HIV, minors or other groups defined as vulnerable under the law.
The law also criminalises the “promotion of homosexuality”, exposing activists, organisations and human rights defenders to the risk of long prison sentences. Campaigners say that has created an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTQ+ people across the country, with fear extending far beyond the courtroom.
A separate Supreme Court appeal challenging the law’s validity has also been delayed. According to Sexual Minorities Uganda International, a hearing scheduled for 31 March 2026 was postponed, with a new date yet to be announced.
For Wendy and Diana, release on bail is an important step, but not the end of the case. They may be out of jail for now, but they are still facing prosecution under one of the world’s most punitive anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
