Sri Lanka Supreme Court Greenlights Bill to Decriminalize Homosexuality

LGBTQ+ rights activists in Sri Lanka have been campaigning for years to change a law that makes homosexuality punishable by a prison sentence and a fine, and now, it looks like their work may be slowly paying off. 

Local activists and advocates received some good news last week when the Supreme Court cleared a path for Parliament to pass a bill to decriminalize homosexuality, ruling that the bill from MP Premnath C Dolawatte was not unconstitutional, according to Reuters.

In front of Parliament last Tuesday (May 9), Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said, “The Supreme Court is of the opinion that the bill as a whole or as any provision thereof is not inconsistent with the constitution.”

Kaveesha Coswatte, an attorney for iProbono, an organization that fights for equality and also supports the bill, called the Supreme Court’s decision “a historic development that has created hope towards real change.” Activists and advocacy groups still have a tough road ahead because they will still have to lobby for support from the 225 lawmakers to push the proposed bill through Parliament.

Neither Sri Lanka’s government nor the opposition has commented on their support for the bill, which means the next steps for the historic measure are unknown, but Coswatte said, “But the door is finally open. This Supreme Court decision is major for the community in terms of any kind of progress they have seen over the last couple of years.” 

A few countries have already overturned these anti-gay laws, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Singapore.