David Cecil (producer)

David Cecil is a British theatre producer.[1] He was arrested in Uganda over a play which references homosexuality on 17 September 2012.[2]

Cecil at Zanzibar International Film Festival

Arrest

Cecil produced The River and the Mountain, written by Beau Hopkins, a British writer in Kampala and directed by Angela Emurwon. The cast was all-Ugandan. The dramatic comedy was programmed at the National Theatre at the Uganda National Cultural Centre but had to relocate after the Ugandan Media Council on 16 August 2012 provisorily banned a performance in public.

The Ugandan minister of ethics said the play “justified the promotion of homosexuality in Uganda," and added, "We will put pressure on anyone who says this abomination is acceptable.” Cecil was placed in a prison near Kampala on 15 and 16 September. A Ugandan court released him on bail on 17 September after charging him in connection with the staging of the play, charges which carried up to a potential two-year jail sentence.[3][4]

A petition calling for the charges against Cecil to be dropped, organised by Index on Censorship and David Lan, was signed by more than 2500 people, including Mike Leigh, Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig and Simon Callow.[4]

In January 2013, a magistrate dismissed all charges against Cecil. In February 2013, Cecil was again detained by the police as a person described by the Ministry of Ethics as undesirable. He was then deported back to the United Kingdom.[5][6][7][8] The deportation was done very quickly and there was concern that proper legal procedure was not in place before the deportation. Chris Ward, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Uganda, said there was "concern that [Cecil] was deported without a chance to challenge the deportation". He added that British officials would be "looking at ways in which we can discuss due process with the Ugandan authorities".[8][9][10]

See also

References
  1. Adams, Rachel (7 February 2013). "Uganda moves to deport British theatre producer David Cecil". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  2. "I play a gay man in Uganda, where homosexuality is illegal". France 24. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  3. "Ugandan court releases British producer of gay play". The Guardian. London. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  4. Mezzofiore, Gianluca (21 November 2012). "British Theatre Producer David Cecil to Face Jail in Uganda Over Gay Play". International Business Times. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  5. Brown, Mark (15 February 2013). "Theatre producer deported by Uganda for gay play vows fight to return". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  6. "Uganda 'deports' David Cecil, producer of gay play". BBC News. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  7. Reuters (12 February 2013). "British theatre producer of play on homosexuality deported from Uganda". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  8. Jones, Pete; Schenkel, Mark (12 February 2013). "Uganda deports British theatre producer over play exploring gay issues". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  9. "Deportation 'crazy' says Uganda gay play producer - video". Channel 4 News. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  10. "Uganda drops charges against British theatre producer David Cecil". ITV News. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2015.


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