Producer of gay-themed play out of Uganda

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KAMPALA, Uganda, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A producer who staged a play in Uganda on homosexual life there arrived in Britain Tuesday after being deported, the British High Commission said.

David Cecil's Ugandan partner said his deportation was a surprise. Florence Kebirungi, who has two children with Cecil, told The Guardian she saw him at 3 p.m. at a police station and then a few hours later received a phone call from the airport in which he said he was on his way out of the country.

Last month, Ugandan authorities dropped charges against Cecil for the production last year of "The River and the Mountain," a play about the difficulties homosexuals face in Uganda. He was arrested again last week.

"David hasn't killed anyone, he hasn't hurt anyone," Kebirungi said. "He has two children here. The case against him was dismissed last month. He was not treated fairly. None of us has been treated fairly."

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. The legislature recently dropped an effort to make some homosexual acts subject to the death penalty.

Chris Ward, a spokesman for the high commission, said British officials wanted to discuss with their Ugandan counterparts whether Cecil had been given a chance to challenge the deportation. Fridah Mutesi, Cecil's attorney, said he will appeal the order if his client wants it.