Singapore’s Supreme Court on Monday upheld Section 377A of Singapore’s Penal Code criminalizing homosexual activity between men.

Three gay men challenged the law’s constitutionality following India’s victory in legalizing same–sex intercourse in September 2018.

The High Court reasoned that it was bound by the Court of Appeal’s 2014 decision that Section 377A was constitutional and did not infringe on citizens’ rights.

“[T]he court had reached the same conclusion that the Court of Appeal arrived at, even after taking into account the additional material put forth by the plaintiffs,” Justice See Kee Oon said during Monday’s hearing.

“Statutory provisions serve an important role in reflecting public sentiment and beliefs. Section 377A, in particular, serves the purpose of safeguarding public morality by showing societal moral disapproval of male homosexual acts,” he stated.

The Section 377A clause imposes a jail term of up to two years on any man found to have engaged in consensual acts of “gross indecency” with another man.

Despite the High Court’s decision, national support for LGBTQ rights is growing. According to a recent poll by the Institute of Policy Studies in Singapore, approximately six in 10 people aged 18 to 25 support gay rights, revealing a significant shift in cultural attitudes since 2013.