Ghana bill increases prison sentence for homosexuality, penalties for LGBTQ allies

Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Ghana's legislature on Wednesday passed one of the strictest anti-LGBTQ laws in Africa, which increases the penalty for homosexuality from three years in prison to five.

The bill, which was championed by the nation's Christian and Muslim leaders, also criminalizes anyone who advocates for LGBTQ rights.

To become law, the bill will have to be signed by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who is expected to sign it though he has not said so directly.

The bill also sets a maximum five-year jail term for anyone forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.

The international rights organization Human Rights Watch has denounced the bill.

"A bill before parliament proposes heavier criminal penalties for same-sex activities, increasing the maximum penalty from three years in prison to five and expanding criminalization for anyone who identifies as LGBT, or as queer, as pansexual, an ally, or any other non-conventional gender identity," Human Rights Watch Researcher Larissa Kojoue, wrote in an opinion piece for Allafrica.com

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed concern about the law and called for it to not be implemented.

"I call for the bill not to become law. I urge the Ghanaian government to take steps to ensure everyone can live free from violence, stigma and discrimination regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalized," Volker said.