UK appeals court strikes down Trinidad gay sex ban

On 10 November 2026, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London struck down Trinidad and Tobago's colonial-era laws criminalising consensual anal sex. The unanimous ruling ended a nearly 10-year legal battle. Gay rights activist Jason Jones, who filed the case in 2017, said the decision could have a domino effect across Commonwealth countries with similar laws. The ruling overturned a 2025 decision by Trinidad's court of appeal that had recriminalised the practice.

On 11 November 2026, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, described as Trinidad and Tobago's highest court, ruled unanimously that the 1986 Sexual Offences Act could not be used to prosecute private, consensual same-sex relations between adults. The decision ended a decade-long legal battle led by LGBT+ activists and overturned penalties of two years for serious indecency and five years for buggery. UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk called it a significant milestone for rights and equality.