Ghana's parliament just approved a sweeping set of new laws all focusing specifically on LGBTQ+, otherwise known activates pertaining to people identifying lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Various groups have warned people across the nation, that these laws could have drastic implications in the days and weeks to come.
Specifically, the law bans and criminalises promotion of LGBTQ+ activities and viewpoints, making violations of this new law punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Leila Lariba, director of One Love Sisters Ghana (through The Guardian), has said in a statement, that panic is spreading across the nation:
"People are panicking and scared. The new bill affects where you are staying; it can get you evicted; it can lead you to lose your job. No matter how safe you think you are, you do not know who's ready to talk."
"We have advised people to prioritise their safety online and offline. If they have content on their social media pages that could put them at risk, we are encouraging them to remove it. People need to be cautious about what they post because they don't know how this law could be used against them," she added.
Ghana already has a ban in place for same-sex relations, but the new laws expands criminal liability, but will also specifically target those who promote or provide specific services to LGBTQ+ people. It's expected to be sworn into law by Ghanaian president, John Dramani Mahama soon.