Ghana’s Supreme Court has unitedly decided to dismiss two legal challenges to new anti-LGBT law that has been criticised by rights groups.
If you were following the news earlier this year, lawmakers passed a bill enacting three years in prison for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.
Due to this law, fear and uncertainty has gripped Ghana’s LGBT community that is already facing limited rights.
The bill, considered one of Africa’s most draconian anti-LGBT laws, has been harshly criticised by the UN.
Human rights activists, Amanda Odoi and Richard Dela-Sky had both filed separate challenges to the bill to declare it unlawful and prevent President Nana Akufo-Addo from signing it into law.
However, President Akufo-Addo deferred signing it after the challenges to the bill, saying he would wait for the Supreme Court’s decision.
But after several months of consideration, the judges have said the case wouldn’t be reviewed until the president had signed it into law.
In reaction to this, Ms Odoi and Mr Sky’s lawyers expressed their unhappiness with the ruling and further said they would explore their options after reviewing the full judgment.
The proposed new legislation – The Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill – was supported by both of Ghana’s main political parties.
With his two-term presidency ending on 7 January, President Akufo-Addo has not yet revealed his next plan.
John Mahama, the opposition leader who won this month’s presidential election also expressed support for the bill.
If it becomes law, it may likely face further challenges in court.
In Ghana, gay sex is already punishable by up to three years in prison.
