Privy Council rules for Jason Jones in Trinidad and Tobago rights case

Archive photograph of the Supreme Court building in London, home of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, December 19, 2015.

Home of the Committee of the Privy Council.

The unanimous ruling rejects constitutional defenses of laws criminalizing private consensual same-sex activity.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council unanimously upheld Jason Jones’s appeal on November 10 against Trinidad and Tobago laws criminalizing private, consensual same-sex activity between adults.

The judges rejected the attorney general’s cross-appeal. Sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act 1986 were not protected as pre-existing law or reasonably justifiable, the court found. A final order will follow further written submissions.

El Consejo Privado falla a favor de Jason Jones en Trinidad y Tobago

El Comité Judicial del Consejo Privado acogió por unanimidad el recurso de Jason Jones el 10 de noviembre contra leyes de Trinidad y Tobago que penalizan las relaciones privadas y consentidas entre adultos del mismo sexo.

Los jueces rechazaron el recurso del fiscal general. Los artículos 13 y 16 no estaban protegidos como legislación preexistente ni eran razonablemente justificables. La orden definitiva llegará tras recibir nuevos escritos de las partes.

Sources / Fuentes: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, official summary, November 10

Archive photo / Foto de archivo (2015): Garry Knight / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.