LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana accuses Police of inciting hate against members

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Rights Ghana is accusing the Police of inciting hate against its members.

The group says that it is worrying that the Police, who are to protect the public, are rather urging the populace to attack suspected LGBT members.

Their comments come after the Police urged the public to report LGBT+ persons.

In a statement announcing that the Ho circuit court has remanded some 21 suspected LGBT+ members into police custody for what it describes as “unlawful assembly,” the law enforcement agency asked parents to be “to be wary of activities of persons involved in this misbehaviour and report them”

The Director of the group, Alex Kofi Donkor, responding to this, said that the stance of the police was unfortunate.

He says that it is a “clear indication of the Police inciting hate and violence against other citizens”

“I don’t think the Police should be doing that. The fact that they are giving ordinary Ghanaians the mandate to further abuse people because of their known or perceived sexual orientation. This is unfortunate. It should not be done by the Police. But ofvcourse, we are in a country where we don’t care about other citizens and that is how the Police can say things like this,” he told UniversNews.

Alex Kofi Donkor is questioning the legal basis for the Police is calling on the public to report LGBT persons.

He says that the move by the police is in violation of their human rights.

“Which part of our constitution or criminal code criminalizes LGBTQ persons such that you will ask that people should report incidents of LGBTQ? This is clear violation of our human rights as equal citizens of this country and it is being perpetuated by the police who have been given the mandate to protect us,” he added.

The group is calling on the government to come to their aid.

‘It is about time that the government steps in and corrects this wrongful activities that is being meted to other Ghanaians because of their sexual orientation,” he pleaded.