Prison sentence will worsen LGBTQ+ issues - Afenyo-Markin advocates therapy

Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Majority Leader in Parliament, has reiterated his opposition to custodial sentences for individuals engaged in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) activities.

His remarks follow the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021 by parliament, which criminalizes LGBTQ+ activities and penalizes their promotion, advocacy, and funding in the country with jail time for offenders.

During the bill's debate, Afenyo-Markin advocated for community service as an alternative to custodial sentences, a proposal that was ultimately rejected by parliament.

In an interview with Accra-based TV3, Afenyo-Markin, who represents the Efuttu constituency, stated that he had consulted several psychologists who affirmed that LGBTQ+ issues are behavioural and cannot be effectively addressed through punitive measures like imprisonment.

He argued that incarcerating individuals for their sexual orientation would only exacerbate the problem, as the roots of such behaviours often stem from experiences in prison.

"I’m not here advocating for LGBTQ. I’m examining how we can reintegrate individuals and deal with the issue in a manner that prevents exacerbation, as sodomy often originates in prisons. People are subjected to it in prisons," he explained.

Drawing from his legal background, Afenyo-Markin shared instances where law enforcement officers cautioned against sending clients to specific prisons due to the risk of sexual assault.

He suggested that instead of incarceration, offenders should be placed in rehabilitation centres where they can undergo treatment aimed at altering their behaviour and facilitating their reintegration into society.

"Do you incarcerate a drug addict? You provide rehabilitation. This process will entail various interventions to address the individual's behaviour," he emphasized.

"By subjecting LGBTQ+ individuals to imprisonment, will we achieve the desired outcomes? I beg to differ," Afenyo-Markin stressed.