Ghana's anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by parliament

A bill which criminalises LGBTQ+ people in Ghana and their supporters has drawn international condemnation after it was passed by parliament, with the United Nations urging that it not become law.

In a statement, Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner, said the bill broadens the scope of criminal sanctions against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people simply for being who they are, and threatens criminal penalties against those perceived as their allies.

"Consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalised ... The bill, if it becomes law, will be corrosive, and will have a negative impact on society as a whole," she said.

The bill, which was voted through by parliament in the West African nation on Wednesday, was first introduced three years ago. It criminalises relationships, sexual activity and public displays of affection between members of the LGBTQ+ community.

It also targets their supporters and the promotion and funding of LGBTQ+-related activities. Those convicted could face up to a decade in prison.

The bill has been sent to the president's desk to be signed into law.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States was deeply troubled by the bill and wants to see its constitutionality reviewed,

In a radio interview the attorney general and minister of justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, said he would not advise the president to sign a bill into law that didn't abide by the constitution.

Audrey Gadzekpo, chairman of the Centre for Democratic Development, a rights group, said it will continue advocating to get the bill thrown out, including by going to court.

LGBTQ+ people in Ghana say they're worried for the safety of those around them such as health providers, as well as for themselves.

"The passage of this bill, it demonstrates to me and all Ghanaians that our politicians do not respect our democracy. They do not respect our constitution, nor do they respect the many international rights treaties that Ghana has signed onto over the years," a queer person who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal told The Associated Press.