Ghana’s ‘draconian’ anti-LGBTQ+ bill moves forward after Supreme Court rejects legal challenges

Ghana’s Supreme Court has rejected legal challenges to an anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The court dismissed two cases challenging proposed legislation that would impose prison sentences on queer people, on Wednesday (17 December).

Approved by lawmakers in February, the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act would impose prison sentences of up to three years for those simply identifying as LGBTQ+. It would also crack down on anyone promoting queer identities.

Homosexual acts between men have been illegal in the West African nation since colonial times and are termed “unnatural carnal knowledge”. Outgoing president Nana Akufo-Addo has delayed signing the bill into law while the legal challenges were going through the courts.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Ghanaians called for the bill to be signed into law. (Twitter)

Lawyers Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky

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