High Court rejects arguments in second case involving gay-sex law

A High Court judge on Wednesday upheld the law the criminalises sex between men, in his second judgment on the same law this year.

Justice Quentin Loh, in a 54-page judgment, rejected arguments by Mr Tan Eng Hong that Section 377A of the Penal Code was unconstitutional. The judge held that the provision had not infringed Mr Tan's rights.

Mr Tan, 49, was the first to fight the law here when he filed a challenge in 2010 after he was charged with having oral sex with another man in a public toilet. Subsequently, a gay couple, Mr Gary Lim, 44, and Mr Kenneth Chee, 37, filed their own challenge. The couple's case was heard first. In April, Justice Loh dismissed their case.

In his judgment on Mr Tan's case, Justice Loh said he has not changed the views in his judgment on the couple's challenge. Responding to the judgment, Mr Tan's lawyer M. Ravi said: "We will continue to fight until we collectively position ourselves on the right side of history, and towards a more inclusive society in Singapore."

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