Uganda’s top appeals court rejects petition to overturn anti-gay-law

Uganda's constitutional court has rejected a bid to overturn a controversial anti-gay law that is considered one of the toughest in the world.

The law, which was adopted last year, imposes life imprisonment for consensual same-sex relationships and the death penalty for so-called "aggravated" cases.

Activists said the law has unleashed a torrent of abuse against LGBT people by both private individuals and state agents.

The court said it “declines to nullify” the act in “its entirety”, but did find that some sections of the law were “inconsistent with the right to health, privacy and freedom of religion"