The Supreme Court of Ghana has reaffirmed the validity of a 1960 law that criminalizes same-sex sexual acts. The seven-member panel dismissed a lawsuit challenging the law, with Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie announcing that the reasons for the court's decision will be provided at a later date.
Under the Ghanaian Criminal Code, same-sex sexual acts are deemed "unnatural carnal knowledge," punishable by up to three years in prison. The legal landscape could become even more restrictive if the proposed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which seeks to introduce harsher penalties, is enacted. This bill, passed in February, also aims to intensify government efforts against those promoting lesbian, gay, or other minority sexual and gender identities.
Earlier this month, the court deferred its decision on whether to send the bill to President Nana Akufo-Addo for approval, stating that it must first assess the constitutionality of the proposed legislation.
In 2021, law lecturer Prince Obiri-Korang petitioned the Supreme Court to invalidate portions of the 1960 code, arguing that it infringes upon constitutional privacy rights.
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