Ghana parliament passes bill criminalising gay acts

Same-sex acts are punishable by jail terms under Ghana's new bill targeting those identifying as gay, lesbian or transgender.

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It proposes that identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer be punished by up to three years' imprisonment. The bill also introduces a "duty to report" prohibited acts to police.

Religious leaders have pressured President John Dramani Mahama, who still needs to ratify the legislation, to strengthen anti-gay laws since he came to power last year.

The ban has been sharply criticised by international organisations, including Human Rights Watch, which said it placed LGBTQ+ peoples' lives at risk while also "encouraging citizens to surveil and denounce one another".

Same-sex relationships have been banned in Ghana under laws dating from the British colonial era.