UK Privy Council overturns Trinidad gay sex laws

Landmark ruling restores victory

The Privy Council in London overturned a 2025 decision by Trinidad and Tobago's court of appeal on Tuesday. This judgment restores the 2018 high court victory secured by activist Jason Jones against colonial-era buggery laws. Each of the five judges concurred that parts 13 and 16 within the Sexual Offences Act 1986 should refrain from making private interactions among adults a crime. The court stated that forming deep connections through intimate relationships is a vital interest for all human beings.

Legal battle spans decade

Jones fought the law for ten years after his 2018 high court judgment declared the provisions unconstitutional. The government appealed that decision, leading to the 2025 recriminalisation before this final appeal. Freedom Law Chambers hailed the unanimous judgment as a phenomenal victory recognising human reality at the case's heart. Lawyers noted the ruling expressly recognised that loving relationships between two men engage constitutional protection of family life.

Impact extends region wide

Trinidad and Tobago along with multiple other Commonwealth nations look to the Privy Council as their ultimate appellate court. Jones stated that this ruling will trigger a chain reaction in all nations where the Privy Council serves as their highest court. He noted he is not afraid of pushback despite living in London for several decades. This advance follows a landmark ruling last year in St Lucia where similar colonial laws were struck down.