ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana ’s parliament passed a bill Friday that would impose prison terms of up to 10 years for people who promote LGBTQ activities, reviving legislation that has long been pushed by religious groups in the West African country but condemned by human rights advocates.
The bill, which is expected to be signed into law by President John Dramani Mahama, also would impose prison terms of three years for people who engage in LGBTQ acts.
An earlier version of the legislation passed in 2024 but was never signed into law by then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, but activists and church groups have continued to push for a version of the bill and Mahama has indicated he will support it.
Ghana is joining a growing list of African countries enacting laws proscribing homosexuality. Such laws enjoy popular support in many conservative African countries despite an international outcry.
The legislation bans “promoting, sponsoring or advocating” LGBTQ acts, and the funding of LGBTQ groups and activities. It also provides for a five-year prison term for someone who runs a brothel for prohibited sexual activity.
Supporters of the bill say it protects what they describe as Ghanaian family values and cultural norms, while critics say it violates constitutional rights and could encourage discrimination and abuse against sexual minorities.
Human Rights Watch condemned the bill and urged Ghana’s government to “uphold the international legal protections that guarantee every Ghanaian the rights to equality, nondiscrimination, freedom of expression, and privacy.”
Same-sex sexual relations are already criminalized in Ghana under an existing colonial-era law that prohibits what it describes as “unnatural carnal knowledge.” However, the proposed law expands those restrictions significantly by criminalizing advocacy, support and related activities connected to LGBTQ acts.
When the previous bill passed in 2024, Ghana’s Finance Ministry warned that its enactment could jeopardize billions of dollars in international financing and support from development partners.
More than 30 of Africa's 54 countries have laws that criminalize same-sex sexual acts. Some of the laws carry lenghty jail terms of more than 10 years while the punishment is the death penalty for countries like Somalia, Uganda and Mauritania.
FILE - Speaker of Ghana Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin speaks at the Parliament House in Accra, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu, File)
DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored in his first game since asking for a trade, helping the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Larkin was initially booed by the home crowd when he touched the puck on his first shift. The boos turned to cheers when he scored in the 13th minute, giving Detroit a lead it never relinquished.
Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Justin Faulk and Viktor Arvidsson added goals for Detroit. John Gibson made 22 saves.
Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and William Eklund scored for the Senators, who had won their first two games. Samuel Ersson had 31 saves.
DeBrincat opened his scoring in the first with a wrist shot 3:16 into the period, assisted by Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur. He added a power-play empty-netter with 50 seconds remaining in the third. DeBrincat also had an assist.
Larkin remains in limbo several months after his trade request became public. He was stripped of the captaincy, reported to training camp despite being injured, missed the start of the season because of injury and received a frosty reaction from home fans during introductions prior to their first game last week.
Ersson started for Ottawa after entering in relief of injured No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark for the third period Monday night in Boston. Ullmark did not dress, and the Senators called up Jonas Johansson from Belleville of the American Hockey League to back up.
Ridly Greig made his season debut for Ottawa and finished with an assist. Greig served a two-game suspension at the start of the season that he received for roughing during the Senators’ final playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Greig was banned for sucker punching Carolina defenseman Sean Walker in the second period of Ottawa’s 4-2 loss on April 25.
Senators: Host Philadelphia on Thursday.
Red Wings: Host Seattle on Friday.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Ottawa Senators center Dylan Cozens (24) is goes up against Detroit Red Wings defenseman William Wallinder (54) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig (71) is closely guarded by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Justin Faulk (72) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Red Wings center Nate Danielson (29) collides with Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (18) while bringing the puck up the ice during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Red Wings left wing Viktor Arvidsson, second from right, celebrates with, from left, center Dylan Larkin, right wing Alex DeBrincat and left wing Lucas Raymond (23) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) drives the puck past Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot, left, to score during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
