Since the Anti-Homosexuality bill was signed in February 2014, reporting on the rights surrounding the LGBT community in Uganda has become more robust in UK media, though it is still not peripheral.
I asked African correspondent for The Guardian Jason Burke about the difficulty of reporting from repressive regimes. He said: ”It’s always difficult to report issues with marginalised communities, but we’re often helped by the fact that there are very frequently some brave and capable activists or NGOs who can help us get information.
“Uganda is certainly repressive but there are worse places for freedom of the press in Africa.
Despite the laws criminalising homosexuality and limitations to freedom of speech, East African activists and organisations work hard to get their voices heard.
Burke said: “I’m not entirely sure what sparked my interest in this particular incident [Coronavirus Arrests] but I usually learn of stories like this through a network of people who get in touch when they see something they think I should be looking at, on social media, or less often, in the mainstream media and through agencies such as Associated Press, AFP or Reuters.
“At The Guardian, we have a particular interest in highlighting LGBT issues and I feel strongly that we should do so.”