Ghana’s parliament on Wednesday authorized a costs that will see individuals imprisoned merely for ‘identifying’ as LGBTQ+ or marketing for queer rights.
Being gay has actually been prohibited in the West African country because the 19 th century in a law stemming from colonial times.
But legislators presented the expense in 2021 to strengthen the anti-LGBTQ+ laws currently in the books.
The legislation, called the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghananian Family Values Bill 2021, is amongst the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ procedures on the African continent, according to AmnestyInternational
.
If signed into law by President Nana Akufo-Addo, being LGBTQ+ would be criminalised and bring a three-year prison sentence.
So- called ‘promoters’ of LGBTQ+ ‘propaganda’– from activists and donors to reporters– might be sentenced to 5 years.
Those discovered to have actually participated in same-sex relations– a first-degree felony– will be tossed behind bars for 5 years. Cross- dressing will likewise be banned.
‘After three long years, we have finally passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act,’ Sam George, among the primary sponsors of the expense, stated on X.
In current days, nevertheless, the passage of Ghana’s was slowed by demands to soften the penalties by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, a member of the judgment New Patriotic Party.
He had actually asked parliamentarians to think about counselling or social work instead of prison time for LGBTQ+ Ghanaians.
The act follows a years-long project from the nation’s Christian, Muslim and standard leaders to more criminalise LGBTQ+ individuals and those who support them.
Both of Ghana’s leading political celebrations have actually backed the sweeping expense all while political leaders and spiritual chiefs have actually spouted unwarranted claims, such as gay sex ‘causing earthquakes’.
But Ghana has actually not been alone. Other African countries such as Nigeria and most just recently Uganda have actually likewise passed anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
Being queer in Ghana is ‘far-fetched’, the legislation’s memorandum states, describing homosexuality as ‘unnatural carnal knowledge’ throughout.
The memorandum explains being LGBTQ+ as a Western affect that ‘threatens’ the sanctity of the standard African household, similar to incest and bestiality.
‘We are most concerned about the need to ensure that the overwhelming public abhorrence for LGBTTQQIAAP+ activities is not channelled into mob justice,’ it includes, validating the requirement for harsher laws.
United Nations authorities have actually cautioned because 2021 that, if passed, the law would ‘create a system of state-sponsored discrimination and violence’.
Rightify Ghana, a leading human rights group, would concur. Campaigners stated in a declaration shared on X this night that the ‘draconian’ law ‘represents a blatant disregard for the principles of democracy’.
‘It infringes on fundamental rights such as freedom of speech and expression, the right to privacy, freedom of association, freedom of assembly and more,’ the group included.
Winnie Byanyi, the executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, cautioned the expense would ‘affect everyone’ and is a public health catastrophe in the making.
‘Approaches rooted in inclusion of all people have been crucial to Ghana’ s development in the HIV reaction,’ Byanyima stated in a declaration.
‘To achieve the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, it is vital to ensure that everyone has equal access to essential services without fear, stigma or discrimination and that providers of life-saving HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care services are supported in their work.’
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