By Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs Editor
A British theatre producer, facing two years in jail for staging a play featuring a homosexual, has had his case postponed again by a Ugandan court.
The postponement comes at a time when the Ugandan parliament is about to debate a bill allowing the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality".
David Cecil, 34, was arrested in September after refusing to allow government censors to review the play The River and the Mountain which was performed in August.
He was charged with "disobeying lawful orders".
A petition to drop the case against him has been signed by more than 2,500 people including British celebrities Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig and Simon Callow.
A pre-trial hearing was adjourned shortly after his arrest, and his latest appearance in court was only to hear that the case has been postponed until January.
Sky sources say the court will allow Mr Cecil to leave the country before his next hearing, but that his family will not in order to ensure he returns.
Activists following the case suggest it may have been put on hold because the Ugandan parliament looks set to pass a law allowing the death sentence for certain homosexual acts.
Homosexuality is already a crime in Uganda, and can lead to up to 14 years in prison.
A banner promoting the play The new Bill, called "Kill the Gays Bill" by opponents, is thought to propose a life sentence for same-sex relationships, and the death penalty for "serial offenders".
The wording has not been fully revealed but the bill will prohibit the promotion of gay rights and the funding or sponsoring of homosexuality. It has been condemned by world leaders, including President Obama.
Uganda is a deeply conservative society with many government figures, religious leaders and the tabloid press engaging in routine insults of gay people and claiming that homosexuality is a western import.
The bill was re-introduced to Parliament by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga who promised it as a "Christmas gift" to the Ugandan people.
Religious groups protesting against homosexuality in Kampala Jeff Ogwaro of the Ugandan Civil Society Coalition, which is fighting the proposal, told Sky News: "We are 95% sure that the bill will go to Parliament before the end of the year, and 100% sure that, if it does, it will pass."
If it does, President Museveni can veto it, but Parliament can then overturn his veto.
Earlier this year Ms Kadaga was in Canada and became embroiled in a row with Canada's foreign minister John Bairs who deplored the bill.
Ms Kadaga referred to Uganda's colonial past and said: "If homosexuality is a value for the people of Canada they should not seek to force Uganda to embrace it. We are not a colony or a protectorate of Canada."
Upon her return to Entebbe airport she was enthusiastically greeted by several hundred anti-gay activists, among them many religious leaders.
Some gay activists believe Mr Cecil's case has been postponed in order to try to limit UK media coverage of homosexuality in Uganda ahead of the bill being debated.
Several countries are considering withholding aid to Uganda if the bill becomes law.
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