In Ghana, the Supreme Court dismissed two legal challenges to a new anti-LGBTQIA legislation that would impose a three-year prison sentence for people identifying as LGBTQIA, and five years for forming or funding LGBTQIA groups.
The bill, dubbed “Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill”, was already passed by the parliament. But it was challenged by Amanda Odoi and Richard Dela-Sky, preventing the country’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, from signing it into law.
But the Supreme Court said that the case cannot be reviewed until the president actually signs it, since – currently – there is no law for it to tackle. As such, the challenges were dismissed.
While the Supreme Court’s decision means the legislation can be contested again IF/WHEN the president signs it into law, the very existence of the legislation still reflects the anti-LGBTQIA sentiment in the West African nation, where the anti-LGBTQIA bill has the backing of Ghana’s two major political parties.
Same-sex sexual activities are already against the law in Ghana, carrying a three-year prison sentence.
Earlier, when the parliament passed the bill, Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, stated that if this becomes a law, “it will exacerbate fear and hatred, could incite violence against fellow Ghanaian citizens, and will negatively impact on free speech, freedom of movement and freedom of association. If it becomes law, it will obstruct access to life-saving services, undercut social protection, and jeopardize Ghana’s development success.”
