Saint Lucia decriminalises same-sex relations in landmark victory for LGBTI rights

In a landmark ruling, the High Court of Saint Lucia has struck down sections 132 and 133 of the Criminal Code, colonial-era laws that criminalised consensual same-sex intimacy. The case was led by the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE), a regional coalition of LGBTI organisations.

The decision forms part of a growing wave of progressive legal reforms in the region, following similar rulings to decriminalise same-sex relations in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, and St Kitts & Nevis – cases also led and supported by ECADE and its partners. With Saint Lucia’s ruling, the number of countries worldwide that criminalise same-sex intimacy has now fallen to fewer than 65.

The Court’s decision cited regional and international precedents, including those from India and other Commonwealth jurisdictions, highlighting the growing influence of comparative human rights jurisprudence. While an appeal is anticipated, the ruling represents a hard-won victory for local activists and signals a shift in the regional legal landscape.

Téa Braun, Chief Executive of the Human Dignity Trust, stated: “This victory marks another significant legal milestone for the LGBT community in the Caribbean and demonstrates the importance of the courts when law makers fail to respect fundamental human rights… it now leaves just five remaining jurisdictions in the Western Hemisphere that continue to criminalise consensual same-sex intimacy.” The Human Dignity Trust, a long-standing grantee of the Trust, provides legal and communications support to local actors advancing decriminalisation efforts.

It is hoped that the judgment might influence ongoing and future legal challenges in Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.