Ghana’s Supreme Court delays decision on draconian anti-LGBTQ+ bill
Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. (Justin Lane- Pool/Getty Images)
The Supreme Court of Ghana has deferred ruling on an anti-LGBTQ+ bill, pulling it from being featured in the presidential election campaign.
On Wednesday (17 July), the court adjourned the case without setting a date for proceedings to continue. The decision means the contentious bill, which is facing two lawsuits challenging its passage, will be excluded from December’s campaign.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, who is stepping down after serving two terms, has so far refused to sign the bill into law, citing the legal challenges. The finance ministry also warned him that the country could lose up to $3.8 billion (close to £3 billion) in World Bank funding, which could affect Ghana’s economic recovery.
The proposed legislation, known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, was unanimously approved by the country’s parliament in February.
Homosexual acts between men have been illegal in the West African nation since colonial times – and termed “unnatural carnal knowledge” – but the new law would impose a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone simply identifying as LGBTQ+.
Those who organise or fund queer groups would face up to five years in prison, and the punishment is even harsher for those who advocate for LGBTQ+ minors, with a possible 10-year prison sentence.
The initial passage of the bill was described as “shocking and deeply disappointing” by director of Amnesty International Ghana Genevieve Partington.
Last year, Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law prompted the World Bank to halt new loans to the East African country.
