Singapore court upholds colonial anti-gay law

SINGAPORE : A fresh bid to overturn a Singapore law banning homosexuality failed on Monday as a court dismissed several challenges, a setback for efforts to promote greater LGBT rights in Asia.

Inherited from the British colonial era, the law is rarely enforced but campaigners say it nevertheless jars with the affluent city-state’s increasingly modern and vibrant culture.

Others however argue that Singapore remains at heart conservative and is not ready for change, while officials also believe most would not be in favour of repealing the legislation.

The latest attempt to overturn the law was spearheaded by three people - a retired doctor, a DJ and an LGBT rights advocate - who lodged court challenges seeking t o prove t he l aw i s unconstitutional.

But the High Court dismissed all three after hearing them together behind closed doors, ruling the law does not violate articles of the constitution regarding equality and freedom of speech.

The court also found the fact the legislation was not enforced did not “render it redundant”.

“Legislation remains important in reflecting public sentiment and beliefs,” according to a summary of the judgement.

M Ravi, a lawyer for one of the complainants, told reporters outside court he was “very disappointed”. “It’s shocking to the conscience and it is so arbitrary. It is so discriminatory this legislation,” he said. AFP