The United Kingdom court has annulled laws that criminalize same-sex sexual relations in Trinidad and Tobago after an 11-year legal struggle.
Foreign news agencies reported on 10 Nov 2026 that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) in London, serving as the highest appellate court for Trinidad and Tobago, ruled that anti-same-sex laws violate the “fundamental right of individuals to respect for private and family life.”
This ruling results from an 11-year legal battle initiated by Jason Jones, a dual national now aged 62, who expressed hope that the verdict would "accelerate the fight for full equality."
Jones had previously won a successful challenge against the law in the Trinidad High Court in 2018. However, this decision was overturned after the Trinidad and Tobago government appealed.
This is the first time the JCPC has ruled on a case concerning anti-same-sex laws. Activists hope this will inspire successful challenges to similar laws in other Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Prior to this landmark ruling, Trinidad and Tobago was among 34 Commonwealth countries that still criminalized same-sex relations under British colonial-era laws.
Under these laws, consensual intimate relationships between same-sex individuals could result in imprisonment, and in some cases, even the death penalty.
The UK court has jurisdiction over cases from Trinidad and Tobago because the country continues to use the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) in London as its highest appellate court (supreme court).
Although Trinidad and Tobago is an independent republic within the Commonwealth, its legal system remains tied to the former British colonial power, as transitioning to a regional court would require complex constitutional amendments.
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Source:bbc