Ugandans Sue Evangelist Over Anti-Gay Message

Scott Lively was one of the American evangelicals cited by Ugandan authorities who introduced a bill in 2009 calling for the death penalty for homosexuals. Now a Ugandan gay rights group is suing Lively and four Ugandan co-defendants in a federal court in Massachusetts, saying he violated international law by whipping up hatred and fomenting persecution against gays and lesbians in Uganda, reports the New York Times.

“That’s about as ridiculous as it gets," said Lively. "I’ve never done anything in Uganda except preach the Gospel and speak my opinion about the homosexual issue.” The lawyer for Sexual Minorities Uganda says that before Lively's three-day conference in Uganda in 2009, no one much bothered homosexuals, but afterward they faced widespread discrimination. “Belief is one thing, but actively trying to harm and deprive other people of their rights is the definition of persecution,” said the lawyer. (More Uganda stories.)