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Ghana Supreme Court Rejects Legal Challenges to Anti-Gay Bill
Ghana Supreme Court Rejects Legal Challenges to Anti-Gay Billhttps://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00091385.html
Ghana's Supreme Court has rejected two legal bids to block a controversial bill that punishes the country's LGBTQ+ community for engaging in sexual acts. Parliament approved the bill known as the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill in February.
The bill calls for jail terms of six months to three years for sexual minorities who are intimate with each other. There was widespread public support for the bill in Ghana, however, it was condemned internationally for curtailing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
The court ruled that as outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has not yet signed the bill into law, it cannot be declared unconstitutional. His successor, John Mahama, has previously said that he does not support expanded LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana, but has not yet confirmed whether he will sign the bill in question.
The bill calls for jail terms of six months to three years for sexual minorities who are intimate with each other. There was widespread public support for the bill in Ghana, however, it was condemned internationally for curtailing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
The court ruled that as outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has not yet signed the bill into law, it cannot be declared unconstitutional. His successor, John Mahama, has previously said that he does not support expanded LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana, but has not yet confirmed whether he will sign the bill in question.
Additional information from the same outlet:
'Ghana Missed Opportunity To Rid Colonial-Era Anti-Gay Law'
https://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00089866.html
Human Rights Watch has joined other campaign groups in criticizing Ghana's Supreme Court ruling upholding the criminalization of adult consensual same-sex conduct.
Earlier a spokeperson for the UN Human Rights Commission said the ruling is "especially concerning given reports of a recent spike in violence against LGBTQ+ people" in the country. The court Last week rejected a case contesting the statute and upheld the possibility of three years of imprisonment for violators.
Earlier a spokeperson for the UN Human Rights Commission said the ruling is "especially concerning given reports of a recent spike in violence against LGBTQ+ people" in the country. The court Last week rejected a case contesting the statute and upheld the possibility of three years of imprisonment for violators.