THE HOSTILITY MUST COME TO AN END RIGHT NOW!

The state has a responsibility to protect all of its citizens. However, it has significantly failed to safeguard the rights of certain groups in Ghana due to their sexuality. Politicians, religious leaders, and some influential figures, under the guise of culture and religion, have even fueled hatred against sexual minorities. The police are also complicit, often failing to properly investigate anti-gay violence or, in some cases, arresting LGBTQ individuals based on unjust laws.

Same-sex intimate relationships remain illegal under outdated colonial-era laws, and gay people continuously face widespread discrimination, abuse, blackmail, and violence. Politicians and religious leaders frequently make statements that seem to incite violence against members of the LGBT community.

A recent violent attack on two young men, Mutalib Ibrahim and Mohammed Mustapha, accused of being gay in an Accra neighborhood, highlights the severe homophobia and dangers faced by the LGBTQ community in Ghana. Eyewitnesses report that Mutalib and Mohammed, both in their twenties, had long been suspected of engaging in homosexual activities. A local anti-gay religious group had been monitoring the pair.

Though the two kept their relationship private, they were caught engaging in sexual activity by a neighbor, who then alerted an angry mob. This incident, which occurred in February 2023, led to a brutal attack. Those present at the scene stated that Mutalib and Mohammed were captured, locked in a room, and tortured by the mob. Mohammed passed out from the assault, and after Mutalib managed to escape, Mohammed’s fate remains unclear. It is unknown whether he was killed, and the question remains unanswered. Mutalib is still in hiding, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Attempts to reach the Adenta Police Command for information about any arrests related to the incident have been unsuccessful, as the police have not provided any details. Family members and local leaders have also declined to comment, fearing retaliation.

This barbaric act of vigilantism against the two men, simply for loving each other, underscores the dangerous climate surrounding the LGBTQ community in Ghana. The country must take action to decriminalize same-sex relationships and introduce and enforce strong hate crime laws to deter such acts of violence. The police and judiciary need to be equipped to effectively address violence and discrimination against LGBTQ citizens. Additionally, political and religious leaders must refrain from using homophobic rhetoric that encourages intolerance.

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