The case begins this Thursday.
Back in April, a High Court judge in Trinidad and Tobago made a historic ruling as he said that colonial-era laws that criminalised homosexuality were unconstitutional and he ordered them removed.
Activists like Kenita Placide, an adviser for OutRight Action International, praised the original ruling saying: “The judge came down on the right side of history in this case by striking down the buggery law and ruling it as unconstitutional.
“The activism and advocacy will continue in Trinidad and Tobago and across the Caribbean until equality for LGBTIQ people is guaranteed.”
However, the government of Trinidad and Tobago are challenging the ruling, aiming to keep the laws in place. The case is due to be heard by the Privy Council in the United Kingdom.
The Privy Council is mostly made up of politicians from the United Kingdom, although it does include politicians from other Commonwealth countries. Others who sit on the Privy Council include the three most senior bishops for the Church of England, judges from the Supreme Court and Prince William.
Speaking to Gay Star News, Jason Jones, the activist who launched the initial challenge to decriminalise gay sex and will be fighting this new case, said: “The importance of my legal challenge for LGBT equality cannot be stressed enough.
“My final victory at the Privy Council in the United Kingdom will lead to decriminalisation in at least ten other countries and impact positively on hundreds of thousands of LGBT people across the globe.”
He added: “We can no longer sit by and watch huge advances in the global north whilst we in the south continue to hide in the shadows with laws that criminalise us hanging over our heads. We must all do our bit to ensure that no one is left behind.”
Related: Bermuda’s Court of Appeal will hear government appeal against legalisation of same-sex marriage
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