. >> reporter: asaman is one of the ugandan lawmakers who sponsored the new law. >> in africa, we neverto imprison gays, no. >> reporter: he says other countries should respect uganda's sovereignty. >> for us we look at gay as a deviation. >> a deviation? >> yes. there's no doubt about it. >> reporter: for two hours, i sat and listened to denial after denial. >> you are trying to make, to create a mountain out of an anthill. >> the suggestion that gay people somehow -- >> oh, no, oh, no -- >> reporter: occasionally our conversation got heated. do you see the impact it's having on ugandans, on young lgbt people in this country who feel persecuted, who feel that their government has turned against them? >> where are they? >> well, we've met a number of them. >> no, no, no. don't believe that trash. let me tell you. >> okay. >> i am a lawyer here. if anybody's being persecuted for existence, give me their contacts, i'll represent them free of charge. where are they? >> well, i don't think i want to give you their locations because they're afraid of the government. >> they are afraid how? t