The US says it is “deeply troubled” by the West African nation’s anti-gay legislation

美国表示,它对西非国家的反同性恋立法“深感不安”

Lawmakers in Ghana have unanimously approved a bill criminalizing homosexual activity, despite warnings from Western governments including the US and France.
The Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-Gay Bill, was passed by parliament on Wednesday, three years after it was first introduced in 2021, and now requires the signature of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

加纳立法者不顾包括美国和法国在内的西方政府的警告,一致通过了一项将同性恋行为定为犯罪的法案。
适当的人权、性权利和家庭价值观法案,也被称为《反同性恋法案》,在2021年首次提出三年后,于周三在议会获得通过,现在需要总统纳纳·阿库福-阿多签署。

If the head of state approves the law, anyone identifying as LGBTQ will face up to three years in prison. The measure also criminalizes gay rights advocacy, with a maximum five-year jail term for establishing or funding LGBTQ groups.

如果国家元首批准这项法律,任何被认定为LGBTQ的人都将面临最高三年的监禁。该法案还将同性恋权利倡导定为刑事犯罪,建立或资助LGBTQ团体最多可判处5年监禁。

“After three long years, we have finally passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act,” member of parliament Sam George, one of the lead sponsors of the bill, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).“Our values would be protected and defended so long as we have a voice,” he added.

“经过漫长的三年,我们终于通过了《人权、性权利和家庭价值观法案》,”该法案的主要发起人之一、国会议员萨姆·乔治(Sam George)在X(以前的Twitter)上写道。“只要我们有发言权,我们的价值观就会得到保护和捍卫,”他补充说。

Critics of the bill, including Audrey Gadzekpo, the Board Chair of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), claim it violates human rights guaranteed under the country’s constitution.
The legislation has also drawn condemnation from abroad. In a statement on Wednesday, the US said it is “deeply troubled” by the lawmakers’ decision, which “would threaten all Ghanaians’ constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, press, and assembly.”
The anti-gay bill is “inconsistent” with the former British colony’s tradition of tolerance, peace, and respect for human rights, which has long served as a model for countries around the world, Washington said.

包括加纳民主发展中心(CDD-Ghana)董事会主席奥黛丽·加泽克波(Audrey Gadzekpo)在内的批评人士称,该法案侵犯了加纳宪法保障的人权。这项立法也招致了国外的谴责。在周三的一份声明中,美国表示对立法者的决定“深感不安”,这“将威胁到所有加纳人受宪法保护的言论、新闻和集会自由”。华盛顿说,这项反同性恋法案与这个前英国殖民地宽容、和平和尊重人权的传统“不一致”,这一传统长期以来一直是世界各国的榜样。

“The United States echoes the call by those Ghanaians who have urged a review of the constitutionality of the bill to protect the rights of all individuals in Ghana,” the statement added.
A similar law was passed in Uganda last May, making it illegal to identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. In response, Washington imposed travel restrictions on the East African country’s officials, and expelled the country from the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a duty-free program that had allowed Kampala to export goods to the US for many years.

声明还说:“美国响应加纳人的呼吁,他们敦促对该法案的合宪性进行审查,以保护加纳所有人的权利。”
去年5月,乌干达通过了一项类似的法律,规定女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、变性人或酷儿是非法的。作为回应,华盛顿对这个东非国家的官员实施了旅行限制,并将该国从《非洲增长与机会法案》(African Growth and Opportunity Act)中驱逐出去。《非洲增长与机会法案》是一项免税计划,多年来允许坎帕拉向美国出口商品。

Ghanaian MP Sam George has previously warned Washington not to interfere with efforts to pass the anti-gay bill. He has said that unlike Uganda, Ghana will retaliate if the US imposes sanctions on lawmakers.
Ghana is one of more than 30 African countries that have prohibited same-sex relationships. Last year, French Minister of International Partnerships Chrysoula Zacharopoulou asked the continent to follow the lead of the West in protecting gay rights.

加纳国会议员萨姆·乔治此前曾警告华盛顿不要干涉通过反同性恋法案的努力。他表示,与乌干达不同,如果美国对议员实施制裁,加纳将进行报复。加纳是禁止同性关系的30多个非洲国家之一。去年,法国国际合作部长Chrysoula Zacharopoulou要求欧洲大陆跟随西方的领导,保护同性恋权利。