Ghana’s Parliament has passed the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values also known as the anti-LGBTQI+ bill.
The Human Sexual Rights And Family Values Bill, 2021, seeks to unequivocally criminalise LGBTQI+ activities.
Persons caught in the act would be subjected to a 6 months to 3 year jail term with promoters and sponsors of the act bearing a 3 to 5 year jail term.
The bill also proposes that a person who, by use of media, technological platform, technological account or any other means, produces, procures, markets, broadcasts, disseminates, publishes or distributes a material for purposes of promoting an activity prohibited under the Bill, or a person uses an electronic device, the Internet service, a film, or any other device capable of electronic storage or transmission to produce, procure, market, broadcast, disseminate, publishes or distribute a material for purposes of promoting an activity prohibited under the Bill, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than ten years.
The sponsors of the bill made a move for the bill to be given additional consideration before it was passed.
The principal proponent, Samuel Nartey George, suggested that the 1992 constitution’s article 12—which guarantees media freedom—be applied to the anti-LGBT articles 10 and 11, which deal with the editorial practices of media companies.
The amendments of the bill were approved by the House as part of the bill today February 28, 2024.
The passage of the bill comes a day after the Big 18 and the Human Rights Coalition called on the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to assent to the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021.
Addressing the press on Tuesday February 27, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, a member of the Big 18 and the Human Rights Coalition and Board Chair for CDD Ghana said the Bill violates Article 108 of the 1992 Constitution which prohibits private members’ bills that impose a charge on the public purse.
According to the professor, Human rights are not dependent on majority approval or disapproval, therefore, the assertion by proponents of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill that because the majority of Ghanaians are allegedly in favour of the Bill justifies its passage into law, is untenable.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu
