UK judges begin hearing appeal over Trinidad and Tobago anti-gay law

UK judges are hearing an appeal in London regarding Trinidad and Tobago's colonial-era law criminalizing anal sex between consenting men. In 2018, a high court ruled this law unconstitutional, but an appeals court overturned that decision last year. LGBTQ+ activist Jason Jones is challenging this restoration of the law, which was enacted in 1925. The case before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is being closely watched across the Caribbean, as it could impact other "savings clauses" that preserve colonial laws. The Trinidadian government opposes Jones, arguing the case has broader implications for inherited legislation. Jones contends the law dehumanizes LGBTQ+ individuals and has cost taxpayers millions to defend.

A nearly decade-long legal battle over gay rights in Trinidad and Tobago is reaching its conclusion as England's final appeals court hears a human rights case. Jason Jones filed the case in 2017, arguing that colonial-era "buggery" laws, which criminalize gay sex and carry a potential five-year prison sentence, are unconstitutional. Trinidad and Tobago's government, supported by religious organizations, opposes Jones. While Trinidad's High Court initially found the laws unconstitutional in 2018, a local appeals court partially reversed this in 2025, allowing Jones to pursue a ruling from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. Activists are watching closely, as a ruling could decriminalize gay sex and set a precedent for the Caribbean region.