UK theatre producer held in Ugandan jail for showing gay play
The British producer of a play about being gay in Uganda is in jail pending his trial on charges that he had the work performed without official authorisation.
David Cecil appeared in court today charged with ‘‘disobeying lawful orders’’ from the Uganda Media Council.
The council claims he staged ‘The River and the Mountain’ in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, last month despite orders to the contrary.
Cecil’s lawyer, Francis Onyango, said his client was not released on bail because his passport had been confiscated by police.
Cecil told AP that the play, whose main character is a gay businessman who finally gets killed by his own employees, was performed eight times at little-known theatres in Kampala last month.
He faces two years in jail if convicted.
Ibin Ssenkumbi, a spokesman for the Kampala police, told AFP: “There are two charges preferred against him, one of disobeying lawful orders contrary to the penal code and another of staging the play which was still under review”.
