Prez says Penal Code will be amended to decriminalize homosexuality

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said homosexuality is an offence under the Penal Code, and the government will most probably take action to repeal this provision.   
President Wickremesinghe said this in response to a question on queer rights during an interview organized by Harvard University on March 24 through Zoom technology.   

“On the first question on queer rights, as our law now stands, homosexuality is an offense under the Penal Code, but it has not been enforced for the last five decades to my knowledge. Certainly, the government will or will not enforce that law. But now a group of parliamentarians are discussing, and most probably will take action to bring legislation to repeal this provision of the Penal Code. I know the discussions are going on and maybe at some stage they will bring the resolution, the law, to Parliament,” he said.  

The President’s Media Division (PMD) made available the transcript of the interview to the local press.