32 Commonwealth nations still have laws against gay sex – Erasing 76 Crimes

September 21, 2022 News Editor

Map shows members of the Commonwealth, which comprises nations that formerly were part of the British Empire. The map highlights not only the Commonwealth nations with anti-homosexuality laws but also those that have repealed them. (Map courtesy of Wikipedia)

The following 32 Commonwealth nations still have anti-homosexuality laws — roughly three-fifths of the group’s total of 53 nations. Worldwide,69 countries still cling to such anti-homosexuality laws.

About half of the world’s laws against same-sex intimacy can be traced back to laws that were imposed by the British on their colonies. Almost all Commonwealth countries formerly were part of the British Empire.

These are the latest changes among Commonwealth nations with such laws, which totaled 39 as of early 2016:

In August 2022, the Eastern Caribbean High Court struck down laws criminalizing same-sex intercourse in the the nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
tIn July 2022, a high court overturned the anti-buggery provisions of the Sexual Offences Act of the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
In June 2019, Botswana‘s High court overturned that nation’s colonial-era anti-LGBT laws.
May 2016, Seychelles repealed its anti-gay law.
In August 2016, the Supreme Court in Belize overturn that nation’s anti-sodomy law as applied to consensual sex.
Maldives retained its anti-gay law, but left the Commonwealth in October 2016. In November 2018, it decided to return.
The Gambia has so far retained its anti-gay law, despite having elected a less anti-LGBT leader. It reportedly planned to rejoin the Commonwealth in February 2018, but that change has not been reflected in the Commonwealth’s official membership list.
In April 2018, Trinidad‘s High Court overturned that nation’s sodomy law.
In September 2018, India‘s Supreme Court overturned the country’s sodomy law.

The following list includes links to this blog’s coverage of the 32 Commonwealth nations with anti-LGBT laws:

Africa

Cameroon
Ghana
Kenya
Malawi (enforcement of law allegedly suspended)
Namibia
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Swaziland/Eswatini
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia

Lesotho was formerly on the list, but it has adopted a new Penal Code that apparently eliminates the nation’s former common-law crime of sodomy.

Asia

Bangladesh
Brunei
Malaysia
Maldives
Pakistan
Singapore (but see the article “Singapore plans to drop anti-gay law, ban same-sex marriage” — August 2022)
Sri Lanka (See the article “President of Sri Lanka won’t oppose repeal of anti-gay law — maybe ” — September 2022)

Americas

Oceania

Former members of the Commonwealth

These nations — formerly part of the British Empire — have maintained anti-homosexuality laws but have withdrawn from the Commonwealth:

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