Human Rights in The British Virgin Islands - Orders-in-council

Orders-in-council

Although the BVI have their own constitution and laws, the United Kingdom government retains sovereign power over the islands, and from time to time has exercised that power by issuing so-called “orders-in-council” that have imposed certain laws upon the BVI, including human-rights protections, the spirit of which is contrary to the desires of the majority of BVI residents. For example, the UK abolished the BVI's death penalty for murder in 1991, and decriminalized homosexuality on the islands in 2000.