Ghanaian parliament tightens penalties for homosexuals Wildfires in Texas are spreading rapidly – nuclear sites are under acute threat

Parliament in Ghana, West Africa, has passed a controversial law with harsh penalties for gay, bisexual and other queer people and their supporters. Under the bill passed on Wednesday and yet to be signed by the country’s president, anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ or supports homosexual activities risks a prison sentence of several years.

President Nana Akufo-Addo had previously stated that he would sign the so-called ‘Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values ​​Act’ if the majority of his people so desired, but has not yet confirmed his decision.

The English abbreviation LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people – the plus sign is a placeholder for other identities and genders. Previously, homosexual activity – such as sex with a person of the same sex – could result in a maximum prison sentence of three years. If the new law comes into effect, it will impose penalties of up to five years on those who promote, finance or support LGBTQ+ activities. Even those who identify simply as gay, lesbian, bisexual or queer face several years in prison.

Executive Director of the United Nations Program to Combat AIDS (UNAIDS), Winnie Byanyima, warned that the law would “impede access to life-saving services, undermine social protection and jeopardize Ghana’s development success.” Human rights activists have long been protesting against the draft, which was introduced three years ago and is supported in Ghana by large parts of the population and by Christian, Muslim and other religious communities, as well as traditional leaders. Amnesty International criticized the draft as “a significant threat to the fundamental rights and freedoms of LGBT+ people”.

Ghanaian professor Audrey Gadzekpo, chair of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, described the law as “dangerous and abhorrent” and a threat to human rights protected by the constitution. On Tuesday she said that preserving rights and freedoms is crucial for a democracy. Therefore, the claim of the law’s proponents that its introduction was justified because the majority of Ghanaians supposedly wanted it was untenable. “Ghana is a secular and multi-religious country.”

The West African coastal state with approximately 34 million inhabitants is one of the most stable democracies on the continent. In many African countries, recognizing the rights of LGBTQ+ people is seen as a harmful import from the West. The criminalization of same-sex relationships often dates back to colonial-era laws. According to Human Rights Watch, 33 of the 69 countries that ban homosexuality are in Africa. (sda/dpa/lyn)