David Kato campaigned against anti-gay laws, discrimination
A prominent Ugandan gay activist was found murdered on Thursday. David Kato was one of several people outed by the Ugandan newspaper Rolling Stone, which published their pictures under the headline “hang them.” Witnesses told the BBC Kato was beaten to death in his home in Kampala. Police, who have a suspect in custody, have said there is no connection between the beating and Kato’s work with his gay rights group Sexual Minorities Uganda (Smug). However, several people have complained of being attacked after their photos appeared in Rolling Stone. The paper’s editor, Giles Muhame, told Reuters news agency he wasn’t promoting violence agains gays. “We want the government to hang people who promote homosexuality,” he said, “not for the public to attack them.”