The hidden dangers of Ghana's Anti-LGBTQI Bill: A breeding ground for mob justice

Despite the prevailing belief that Ghana's Anti-LGBTQI Bill provides a protective shield for the group it targets, a deeper analysis reveals a disturbing implication: the risk of mob violence and vigilante justice.

This is a concern that we must address urgently, given the widespread prevalence of mob justice in our society and the significant challenges it poses to our security services. Mob justice is a direct violation of human rights, often resulting in victims being subjected to torture, mutilation, or even death, thereby bypassing their right to a fair trial.

In a society where unity is fragile and destructive politics are rampant, it is crucial that we refrain from endorsing or encouraging tendencies towards mob violence against perceived lawbreakers.

In the context of the Anti-LGBTQI Bill, we must be particularly vigilant. The bill, if passed into law, could empower the mob to persecute individuals suspected of being gay or lesbian. This could lead to gross violations of privacy and the creation of a hostile environment for those perceived to deviate from traditional heterosexuality. The potential for individuals to take the law into their own hands, based on someone's sexual orientation, could lead to horrific outcomes.

One of the primary drivers of mob justice is the perceived lack of accountability within our law enforcement agencies. There is a widespread belief that justice is slow and that the police may ultimately release the accused. This lack of trust in our judicial system could encourage individuals to take the law into their own hands. Consequently, the public will find it difficult to accept gays and lesbians, who they've been led to believe pose a threat to our societal values. Given this backdrop, mob justice is a foreseeable outcome if the bill is implemented.

Moreover, there is a prevailing misconception that the LGBTQI community is predominantly affluent. Given the high levels of corruption in our society, it is not far-fetched to imagine that LGBTQI individuals, when faced with legal action, could be released due to their perceived ability to bribe officials. Even though the bill is in its nascent stages, conversations on radio and TV stations are already promoting negative perceptions of this minority group. The mere distortion of the LGBTQI lifestyle is sufficient to provoke mob violence against them.

These factors highlight the potential hostility that the Anti-LGBTQI Bill could incite. We are on the brink of limiting the freedoms of a vulnerable group and exposing them to the dangers of mob persecution and, ultimately, mob justice. This would be a fundamental violation of the LGBTQI community's human rights to live peacefully within society. Ghana risks fostering a society that is characterized by division and hatred rather than unity and acceptance.