Charli XCX Wants Nothing to Do With Uganda Over Anti-Gay Laws

Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.

In a new interview with Logo, British pop singer Charli XCX revealed that she has ties to Uganda -- her mother was raised in the East African country. But the "Boom Clap" singer said she wants nothing to do with Uganda over the country's anti-gay laws.

"I feel so sad that I am related to that country in some way, because of what the government has decided there," she said, according to New Now Next. "We visited when I was a lot younger [but] I wouldn't return."

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. Those found "guilty" of being gay can be sentenced to jail for at least two years and at most, a life sentence. President Yoweri Museveni signed the country's anti-gay bill into law in February 2014. The measure initially called for the death penalty but it was later dropped and replaced by life imprisonment.

Countries around the world, including Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden, condemned the passage of the law. The U.S. also came down on the passage of the measure and in June, and it was reported that the U.S. imposed visa bans on Ugandan officials who are involved in corruption and are violating the rights of the country's LGBT community.

Watch Charli XCX make her comments by clicking here (via New Now Next).

Watch Charli XCX's new music video for "Breaking Up" below:


by Jason St. Amand , National News Editor

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