A group of leading global scientists and academics have signed an open letter urging Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to veto a hardline bill criminalizing homosexuality in the country. The bill outlaws identifying as LGBTQ+, and suggests life sentences for convicted homosexuals as well as the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” a sweeping term covering various sexual acts including sex with people with mental or physical disabilities or sex with children. The Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023, which was passed by Ugandan lawmakers in March, is set to be either signed into law or vetoed by the president on Thursday. Before the bill was passed almost unanimously last month, President Museveni called on scientists to establish whether homosexuality was natural or learned. Museveni has previously called homosexuals “deviations from normal.” In their open letter, the group of scientists state: “We cannot say this enough: homosexuality is a normal and natural variation of human sexuality. The science on this subject is crystal clear and we call on you [Museveni] in the strongest possible terms to veto the bill in the name of science.