In the past few months, we have monitored closely the many violations of human rights against LGBTQ+ persons in Ghana.
As part of our commitment to elevating the conversation around LGBT+ issues/people across the African continent, we have also documented, extensively, some of the many ways in which LGBT persons have been persecuted by state and non-state actors in Ghana this year.
According to Amnesty International, LGBT persons in Ghana continue to face discrimination. Consensual same-sex sexual relations between men remained criminalized. Religious and political leaders, and the media used hate speech against LGBTI people. This contributed to a climate of fear, hostility and intolerance towards the LGBTI community.
Here is a timeline of how the events this year have unfolded:
January 31, 2021 — LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana officially opened their community centre with the Australian High Commissioner, Danish Ambassador, and delegates from the European Union present.
February 16, 2021 — The European Union Delegation to Ghana posted pictures of the official opening of the community centre on their Twitter handle. It was around this time that there was also a spike in homophobic attacks against LGBTQ+ Ghanaians.
February 22, 2021 — The President of Ghana, Akufo-Addo ordered the immediate shut down of the community centre. A combined team of heavily armed police accompanied by armed National Security officials reportedly stormed the LGBTQ building and ordered all operations and activities ceased immediately with occupants to vacate premises.
March 1, 2021 — Idris Elba, Paapa Essiedu, Jidenna, Naomi Campbell, Yvonne Orji and others sign a letter calling on His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, to reach out to LGBTQ leaders “to create a pathway for allyship, protection and support.”
March 29, 2021 — The Ghana Police Service arrests 22 LGBTQ+ persons over alleged lesbian wedding. According to reports by African Equality Centre, the Ghana Police Force arrived after the Chief of Kwahu Obomeng, Eastern region of Ghana, and Elders alerted the police about a rumoured “lesbian wedding”, which attendees of the party say is a birthday party.
May 20, 2021 — The Ghana Police Force arrested 21 persons in Ho, Volta region for organising a workshop aimed at strengthening the LGBTQ community. The police statement alleged that they had gathered to advocate LGBT+ activities with books and flyers with titles including, “Coming out” and “All about Trans. They were immediately arraigned to court on the charges of unlawful assembly.
June 4, 2021 — Based on the defence submissions on this day, the circuit court in Ho pushed the hearing to either grant or deny bail till Tuesday 8th June 2021.
June 8, 2021 — The Ho Circuit Court denied bail for the 21 arrested persons on the bases that the High Court had already denied them bail on June 1, bringing the number of bail denials to 3.
June 11, 2021 — The High Court in the Ho, a city in southeastern Ghana, granted bail for the 21 persons who were arrested.
As a news media organisation, we will keep watching out for new information on the situation in Ghana and constantly update this timeline with useful information, pictures, links and important resources.
In the meantime, donate to LGBT Rights Ghana, a movement of LGBTQIA persons championing the freedom for all LGBT+ persons in Ghana, via the GoFundMe link below.
If there was any part of this timeline that we skipped or missed out on, please let us know and we will update it.
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