Police in Uganda raided a U.S.-funded HIV/AIDS research center on Thursday after accusing employees of promoting homosexuality, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Ibin Senkumbi, a police spokesman, said officers arrested at least one person at the Makerere University Water Reed Project (MUWRP) in Kampala.
"We have been trailing people within that organization who are carrying out activities related to the promotion of homosexual acts," Senkumbi told the Journal.
In February, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed an anti-homosexuality bill into law.
MUWRP, a partnership between Makerere University and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program, released a statement following the raid.
"Until we have greater clarity as to the legal basis for the police action, the operations of the program are temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of staff and the integrity of the program," the statement said, referring any other questions to the U.S. Embassy in Kampala.
Embassy officials were not available for comment, the Journal said.
The recent law in Uganda can lead to a 14-year prison sentence for first-time offenders and life in prison for acts of "aggravated homosexuality" committed by HIV-positive individuals.
Following the controversial law, the World Bank, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands froze nearly $120 million in aid to the country. Additionally, the U.S. suspended $4 million to Uganda's health sector, though some gay activists claim America is doing enough.
The MUWRP has been active in Uganda since 1998.
