25 November 2019 | The Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has joined a legal effort to defend the Caribbean nation’s so-called anti-buggery laws as well as other legislation that bans same-sex sexual acts.

The Jamaica Observer reported that the Adventist denomination is joining a group of 10 churches called the Christian Coalition that is supporting the government’s efforts to defend the current constitution that currently has strong restrictions on the expression of homosexuality.

Two gay citizens are challenging the country’s laws in regards to so-called buggery and other anti-gay legislation. Sean MacLeish and Javin Johnson claim that anti-buggery laws and gross indecency laws contravene their constitutional rights.

On Thursday, November 21, High Court Judge Justice Jesco Henry allowed the churches to join the government’s efforts to defend the current law in court.

Currently, “buggery” can be punished by 10 years imprisonment in St. Vincent. And “gross indecency” with the same sex is punishable with five years of imprisonment.

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