on a law that threatens fines life imprisonment,# even death just for being gay.

Ug rights groups challenge the anti-homosexuality# act in December, and the United States has joined## a growing international outcry by sanctioning# Uganda by restricting visas and withholding trade.

Ali Rogin spoke with two# Ugandan LGBTQ plus activists,## including one who just survived an# attempt on his life.

And we should## warn you that some of the images in this# report may be disturbing for some viewers STEVEN KABUYE, Colored Voice Truth to LGBTQ: The# man that tried to cut my neck shouted what's in## the local language of Uganda, ffa musiyazzi,# which is translated to die you homosexual.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Steven Kabuye is# the executive director of the advocacy group## Colored Voice Truth to LGBTQ, he's faced death# threats since March because of hi Then last month, he filmed himself on the# ground clinging to life after being stabbed## repeatedly by unknown assailants outside# his home.

He's now receiving care outside## Uganda.

But Kabuye says the police seemed more# focused on his being gay than on the attack.

STEVEN KABUYE: People wanted end my life# and the police was really looking into my## sexuality and everything.

And two days later# when they came to get they kept on asking me how I became gay.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Activist say that this is# the new normal f the Anti-Homosexuality Act became law last May.# It calls for life imprisonment for having gay sex,## and imposes up to 20 years in prison for anyone# promoting homosexuality.

And it calls for the## death penalty for having same sex relations with# minors, disabled persons or people with HIV.

A majority of Ugandan support the# controversial law, and most of its## main enforcers have been everyday citizens.# A coalition of rights groups documented 281## instances of vigilante abuses against LGBTQ# plus people last year, versus 25 times when## the government was behind the abuse.

Some suffer# in silence and can't rely on friends or family.

MAN: As a person I felt suicidal because# of my family was like, if they give you,## they told me themselves, even if they give you the## death sentence for us we shall see it# as justice b ALI ROGIN (voice-over): The laws fate is# ultimately up to Uganda's Constitutional Court,## but the United States and others have# stepped up pressure to repeal the law## and protect the country's LGBTQ plus community.

Last August, the World Bank halted# new loans to Uganda.

And in th e U.S. imposed visa restrictions# on hundreds of Ugandan officials## and their families.

Ugandan President# Yoweri Museveni dismissed the actions.

YOWERI MUSEVENI, Ugandan President: They tried to# put pressure on us.

Pressure if you don't do this,## we shall not -- we shall not allow you to go# to America.

I don't want to go to Ame ALI ROGIN (voice-over): This isn't# the first time Uganda has grappled## with a law like this.

In 2014, a similar# bu the court overturned it on procedural grounds# following Western sanctions and suspension of aid.

ALI ROGIN: For more we turn to Clare# Byarugaba, an LGBTQ plus activist.

She's## the equality and non-discriminat on coordinator# for Chapter Four Uganda, a civil rights group.

Clare, thank you so much for joining us.# How has this law affected you personally,## if you wouldn't mind sharing?

And also# how has it affected your community?

CLARE BYARUGABA, Chapter Four Uganda: Thank you# so much, Ali, for having me.

As an LGBT co we are really facing one of the worst experiences# that anyone can go thr are a form of state sponsored homophobia and# transphobia.

The very purpose of this law is## to basically erase the LGBT community from the# face of the earth.

But we have fighting back.

ALI ROGIN: We understand that the# Constitutional Court is set to rule## any day on the constitutionality of# this law.

What are your ho the outcome of that ruling?

And how would# it affect the implementation of the law?

CLARE BYARUGABA: We're asking the courts to# look at the substantive arguments that we## are putting in our petitions to declare that# this law is unconstitutional o grounds to protect and enshrine the rights# of LGBT individuals.

Because this means## that once the courts if they're independent# enough, declare this law unconstitutional,## it would mean that the risk of# having another anti-gay law very low.

And of course the world is watching and# especially African countries that are## thinking of proposing or passing similar laws.# They rushing to see what happens in Uganda.

ALI ROGIN: Since this laws implementation, how has# it affected the ability for LGBTQ plus communities## to access health care, particularly in the# context of Uganda spite to eradicate aids?

CLARE BYARUGABA: So this law has been,# has rolled back the current trend that## Uganda was on to reach the zero infections# by 2030.

We see that the LGBT community,## particularly men who have sex with men,# gay men, and transgender individuals,## failing to go to hospitals for care, because# the law requires doctors to report suspected## LGBT individuals or those that are suspected to be# involved in same sex, sexual activity, consensual## or otherwise.

So this has rolled back really# the progress that Uganda had made in the past.

ALI ROGIN: How popular is this# law with Ugandan citizens overall?

CLARE BYARUGABA: We see a resurgence of# particularly us, evangelical extremists## coming to Uganda, coming to other African# countries, saying this is something that## you have to focus on.

So we're seeing it's# kind of a form of recolonization, where U.S.## evangelical extremists have lost ground in their# own countries, and they see Africa as ground zero.

We often say that, you know, homophobia# is not a homegrown fight.

You know,## Africans don't hate each other.# Someone has radicalized them,## someone has to tell them lies false allegations# that LGBT individuals are recruiting their## children, or that we have this this plan to# eradicate that traditional family in Uganda.

So this dangerous rhetoric has, unfortunately,# is unfortunately being believed by the ordinary## citizen of Uganda.

And in turn, they# are -- they have become vigilantes.

ALI ROGIN: What do you make of the response that# the international community has had to this law,## particularly from countries where protections# for LGBTQ plus communities do exist?

CLARE BYARUGABA: We have called for# international solidarity.

We've called## for international pressure and it's working,## because without international pressure, I# would probably be in ALI ROGIN: Has the United States# in particular done enough?

CLARE BYARUGABA: The United# States has done quite a lot.## And I will applaud the U.S. government# for responding to our ca for financial and visa restrictions.

But# the U.S. government can do so much more.## The U.S. government is seen as a leader in# protection of international human rights.

So it's important that the government# continues to do more in terms of applying## pressure and increasing the sanctions# base against proven individuals that## are blatantly promoting the violations of# LGBT individuals and opposition leaders.

We know that any country, any country's democracy# is measured in how it treats minorities,## and in this case they they've gotten government# is failing us.

It's failing to protect us.

It## is putting us at risk every day.

And this# is unacceptable in any democratic country.

ALI ROGIN: Clare Byarugaba, an activist# with the civil rights organization,## Chapter Four Uganda, thank# you so much for your time.

CLARE BYARUGABA: Thank you, Ali.