St Kitts and Nevis: In a second case of historic precedent, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis (St. Kitts and Nevis) has affirmed the constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ citizens by striking down the country’s buggery law. The Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) and the Saint Kitts Nevis Alliance for Equality (SKNAFE) welcome this repeal of anti-LGBTQ laws in St. Kitts and Nevis.
In declaring void sections 56 and 57 of the Offences Against the Person Act, the High Court of Justice in St. Kitts and Nevis affirms the laws that criminalise consensual, private sexual acts between adults to be unconstitutional.
Justice Trevor M. Ward QC held that sections 56 and 57 of the Offences Against the Person Act, known as the buggery laws, contravene the constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression and protection of personal privacy.
DECADE remains committed to challenging the harmful beliefs that underpin these laws and create an atmosphere where stigma and discrimination against individuals perceived to be LGBTQ+ are acceptable.
Appearing in this case on behalf of the claimants were E. Anthony Ross QC of E. Anthony Ross Professional Services and Nadia Chiesa of WeirFoulds LLP. ECADE’s partners include a team of Caribbean lawyers and the Faculty of Law UWI Rights Advocacy Project (U-RAP). The legal team is led by Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes SC and Veronica S. P. Cenac, Attorney-at-Law.
Discriminatory Sexual Offences Laws and Criminal Codes in the islands date back to the British colonial era and unfairly target LGBTQ+ people. Although custodial sentences are rarely imposed, those convicted under these laws can face imprisonment for up to ten years. Other constitutional challenges in Barbados and Saint Lucia, are expected to be concluded before the end of 2022.
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About SKNAFE
The Saint Kitts Nevis Alliance for Equality (SKNAFE) is an non-government organisation in Saint Kitts, dedicated to working with and for the LGBT community by providing a safe space through advocacy, self-empowerment, promotion of human rights and training services.
About ECADE
The Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality Inc, is an independent umbrella of human rights organisations operating in the small islands in the eastern Caribbean from the Virgin Islands to Grenada. The Alliance’s core membership comprises organisations representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community in the sub-region. Associate membership comprises organisations working intersectionally. DECADE currently serves twenty-seven organisations across nine countries.
Learn more at www.ecequality.org or email info@ecequality.org.
About The Faculty of Law UWI Rights Advocacy Project (U-RAP)
The Faculty of Law UWI Rights Advocacy Project (U-RAP) was established as a project of the Faculty of Law, The University of the West Indies (UWI) in 2009. Since 2012, there have been three Faculties of Law at the Cave Hill, Mona and St Augustine campuses of UWI. URAC’s mission is to promote human rights and social justice in the Caribbean by undertaking and participating in strategic litigation, socio-legal research and legal education in collaboration with Caribbean lawyers and Caribbean civil society organisations and by working with students of the Faculties of Law.
About Weirfoulds LLP
WeirFoulds LLP, one of Canada’s oldest law firms, has a long-standing commitment to upholding access to justice and giving back to the community. Nadia Chiesa, Chair of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group, is called to the Bar in a number of jurisdictions in the Caribbean, and spearheads WeirFoulds pro bono human rights litigation initiative in the Caribbean which contemplates Constitutional challenges to current legislation offending fundamental rights in international law.
Anglina Byron, developed a deep-seated passion for journalism. Anglina is recognized for her tenacity, strength, and unwavering commitment to delivering honest and reliable news across the Caribbean. She covers general affairs of the region.
