Activist takes case over Trinidad's homophobic laws to UK's privy council

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Activist takes case over Trinidad’s homophobic laws to UK’s privy council

Legislation was repealed in 2018 but Caribbean country’s supreme court last week recriminalised the act after appeal

Joshua Surtees
Fri 4 Apr 2025 05.00 BST
Last modified on Fri 4 Apr 2025 12.21 BST

The privy council in London will soon be called upon to make the final decision on a court case to remove homophobic laws in Trinidad and Tobago.

The laws were repealed in 2018 in a high court judgment that struck from the statute book the “buggery law” that had criminalised consensual anal sex since an act passed in 1925 under British rule. However, last week Trinidad’s supreme court upheld a government appeal against the ruling and recriminalised the act, dealing a hammer blow to LGBTQ+ rights in the Caribbean country and prompting the UK Foreign Office to update its advice for LGBTQ+ travellers.

The 2018 case was brought by Jason Jones, an LGBTQ+ activist. This week he said he would continue the fight before the privy council – Trinidad’s final court of appeal. Central to his argument will be the controversial “savings clause”, which former British empire jurisdictions such as Trinidad can revert to whenever a challenge is made to their constitution.

“This backwards step revolves around the savings clause, which was designed as an instrument for the smooth transition of power upon independence in 1962 to protect the laws we had for hundreds of years. That clause is now being used against democracy in our country,” said Jones.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/04/case-trinidad-homophobic-laws-uk-privy-council

[soldierant]

1. There is another Trinidad people might consider.

Trinidad, Colorado is noteworthy for being a center for progress in gender-affirming medical care.

Yes, this is off topic - but it struck me as so ironic that I'd mention it.