A top court in Barbados has struck down colonial-era laws that criminalise gay sex, becoming the third nation in the conservative Caribbean region to do so this year.
The ruling issued Monday by the Barbados High Court is a pivotal moment for activists and nonprofit organisations who have long fought against such laws on the eastern Caribbean island, including one that demands up to a life sentence for gay men found guilty of having sex.
While the laws were rarely invoked, they signal that LGBTQ people are criminal and lesser citizens, said chief executive of the London-based Human Dignity Trust, Téa Braun.
UNAIDS also celebrated the ruling, saying it will help reduce the stigma that can prevent LGBTQ people from seeking HIV testing, treatment and prevention services.
“Decriminalisation saves and changes lives and builds stronger societies,” the agency said.
