At a meeting with Ugandan LGBTQ activist Clare Byarugaba, the head of the Church said that "discrimination against LGBTQ people" is a "sin", the activist herself announced on the X platform (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
It was an honour for her to meet the pontiff, Byarugaba continued. "I informed him about the devastating effects of the two anti-LGBTQ laws that were passed in Uganda within a decade and the associated human rights violations."
In response, the Pope repeated that discrimination is "a sin" and that "violence against LGBTQ communities" is unacceptable.
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Byarugaba is an activist in the civil rights group "Chapter Four". Her tweet referred to the country's anti-homosexuality law from 2023.
Although homosexuality was already a criminal offence in Uganda, the new law tightened the penalties.
Thus, the anti-LGBTQ law provides for prison sentences for homosexual acts. In some cases, such as "aggravated forms of homosexuality", there is even a threat of the death penalty.
Among other things, the law also targets people who merely "promote" homosexuality, which according to a report by New Ways Ministry", this not only severely impairs work for LGBTQ rights, but also HIV/AIDS education.
Following the enactment of the law, the Ugandan bishops considered in 2023 homosexuality as an "evil", they criticised the penalties.