Rights activists condemn the legislation that will punish LGBTQ folks in addition to those that promote homosexual rights with years in jail.
Ghana’s parliament has voted to go a controversial invoice to severely limit LGBTQ rights, in a transfer that has been condemned by rights activists.
A coalition of spiritual and conventional leaders sponsored the laws that’s favoured by most lawmakers and that handed in parliament on Wednesday.
The invoice would punish those that participate in LGBTQ sexual acts, in addition to those that promote the rights of homosexual, lesbian or different non-conventional sexual or gender identities with time in jail.
The invoice, one of many harshest of its sort in Africa, nonetheless must be validated by the president earlier than coming into into legislation, which observers imagine is unlikely earlier than a common election in December.
Activist teams have known as the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values” invoice a setback for human rights and urged President Nana Akufo-Addo’s authorities to reject it.
However the laws is extensively supported in Ghana, the place Akufo-Addo has mentioned homosexual marriage won’t ever be allowed whereas he’s in energy.
Generally known as the anti-gay invoice, it obtained sponsorship from a coalition comprising Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian conventional leaders, discovering substantial backing amongst members of Parliament.
Homosexual intercourse is already unlawful within the non secular West African nation, however whereas discrimination in opposition to LGBTQ folks is frequent nobody has ever been prosecuted below the colonial-era legislation.
Underneath the provisions of the invoice, those that participate in LGBTQ sexual acts might face imprisonment starting from six months to 3 years.
The invoice additionally imposes a jail sentence of three to 5 years for the “wilful promotion, sponsorship, or support of LGBTQ+ activities”.
‘Violates human rights’
A human rights coalition referred to as the Large 18, an umbrella group of attorneys and activists in Ghana, has condemned the invoice.
“You cannot criminalise a person’s identity and that’s what the bill is doing and it’s absolutely wrong,” mentioned Takyiwaa Manuh, a member of the coalition.
“We want to impress on the president not to assent to the bill, it totally violates the human rights of the LGBT community,” Manuh informed the AFP information company.
Opposition lawmaker Sam George, the principle sponsor of the invoice, known as on Akufo-Addo to assent to it.
“There is nothing that deals with LGBTQ better than this bill that has been passed by parliament. We expect the president to walk his talk and be a man of his words,” George mentioned.
Members of Ghana’s LGBTQ group are anxious in regards to the implications of the invoice.
Founder and director of the organisation LGBT+ Rights Ghana Alex Donkor mentioned, “The passing of this bill will further marginalise and endanger LGBTQ individuals in Ghana.”
“It not only legalises discrimination but also fosters an environment of fear and persecution,” he mentioned.
“With harsh penalties for both LGBTQ individuals and activists, this bill threatens the safety and wellbeing of an already vulnerable community.”