<p>Draft legislatn Ghana would make intifyg as gay or even an ally to the LGBTQ muny a send-gree felony punishable by five years prison —
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EXPLAER: WHAT MAK GHANA’S ANTI-GAY BILL SO EXTREME?
Ghana Parliament unanimoly pass extreme anti-gay bill. The Parliament of Ghana passed an extreme anti-gay bill on Wednday, which is set to tighten laws agast members of the LGBTQ+ muny. Ghana’s 275 members of Parliament unanimoly passed the bill, known as the 2021 Promotn of Appropriate Sexual Rights and Fay Valu bill is set to crimalize the promotn, advocy, fundg and acts of homosexualy.
ACCRA, Nov 11 (Rters) - Supporters and opponents of Ghana's new anti-LGBT bill faced off parliament on Wednday the first public heargs to the proposed legislatn that would make a crime to be gay, bisexual or transgenr.Akoto Ampaw, a lawyer reprentg a aln agast the law, was met wh ocsnal jeers as he told the ssn the Fay Valu bill would be "totalarian" and "unnstutnal".On the other si of the argument, Abraham Ofori-Kuragu, a reprentative of Ghana's Pentestal uncil, told the tense gatherg of lawmakers and media the bill reflected the will of most Ghanaians.There have been no natnal opn polls on the bill, which has been nmned by U.N. But supporters say the legislatn has broad backg the largely Christian Wt Ain untry.Gay sex is already punishable by up to three years prison Ghana, though no one has been prosecuted years.The new bill would go further, lengtheng jail terms and forcg some to unrgo "nversn therapy" - practic tend to change a person's sexual orientatn.It would also crimalise the promotn and fundg of LGBT+ activi as well as public displays of same-sex affectn and cross-drsg.[1/2]People who were taed by police on spicn of promotg an LGBT+ agenda at an unlawful assembly are rted by police officers out the urt after their bail hearg at the Ho urt Ho, Volta Regn-Ghana June 4, 2021. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko Acquire Licensg Rights"The very provisns of the bill stoke hate, bigotry and vlence agast a small and vulnerable mory muny," Ampaw said his openg statement to the Commtee on Constutnal, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.Ofori-Kuragu of the Pentestal uncil said opposn to the bill had been stoked by the Wt."I have never seen a bill so bold s prentatn of the Ghanaian agenda," he said.LGBT+ rights groups Ghana said they have seen a spike homophobic attacks sce the draft law was troduced Augt."Our greatt worry is the health and safety of our muny members," Danny Bediako, director of the human rights anisatn Rightify Ghana, told Rters.
"I have never seen so many people who want to leave the untry."Homosexualy remas taboo many socially nservative Ain societi where some relig groups have brand a rptg Wtern import.Gay rights activists say was actually lonial Wtern powers who first crimalised homosexualy many parts of the ntent.The mtee is expected to hear ten petns a week a seri of public ssns before the bill is put to a vote parliament, puty majory lear Alexanr Afenyo-Mark said.Reportg by Christian Akorlie; Addnal reportg and wrg by Nellie Peyton and Cooper Inveen;. If passed s current form, rights groups say uld spark a wch-hunt of sexual mori, advocy groups and “alli”, forcg the public to report on their are some of the ma measur, wh excerpts om the bill self:A clampdown on LGBTQ+ intyThe law would crimalise, wh up to five years prison, intifyg as a LGBTQ+ person, havg a gay relatnship or terurse.