Ghana's Supreme Court Dismisses Anti-Gay Bill Review Application
Accra, Ghana - 26 Feb, 2025 - Ghana's Supreme Court has dismissed a review application challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, a controversial law that seeks to criminalize LGBTQI+ advocacy.
The application was withdrawn by the applicant, Richard Dela Sky, prompting the court to strike out the case. The court, however, expressed disappointment at Sky's absence from the proceedings.
Chief State Attorney Sylvia Adisu sought costs against Sky, but Justices Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi and Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu disagreed, citing the case's public interest nature.
Justice Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu expressed concerns about convening nine justices only for the application to be withdrawn. Meanwhile, Justice Samuel Adibu-Asiedu felt that, as a lawyer, Sky should have been present in court.
The court's decision follows its earlier unanimous dismissal of Sky's initial petition on December 18, 2024, which challenged the constitutionality of the legislative process concerning the anti-gay bill. The court had upheld the bill's constitutionality, leading to Sky's subsequent review application.
The bill, passed by Parliament in February 2024, has been a subject of intense debate in Ghana, with proponents arguing it reflects the country's cultural and moral values, while opponents say it violates human rights and could lead to persecution of LGBTQI+ individuals.
Source: Lead News Online
