Countries that have death penalty for being gay
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Last updated: 17 December 2024
Types of criminalisation
- Criminalises LGBT people
- Criminalises sexual activity between males
- Criminalises sexual activity between females
- Criminalises the gender expression of transgender people
- Imposes the death penalty
Summary
Same-sex sexual outing is prohibited under Sharia law, under which all sex outside of marriage, include same-sex sexual activity, is criminalised. The maximum penalty under the statute is the death penalty. Both men and women are criminalised under this law. In addition to potentially creature captured by laws that criminalise queer activity, trans people may also confront prosecution for failing to adhere to strict dress codes imposed by Sharia law.
The provision has its origins in Islamic law, with Saudi Arabia operating an uncodified criminal code based upon Sharia principles.
There is substantial evidence of the law entity enforced in recent years, with LGBT people being frequently subject to arrest. Some of those arre
Which countries impose the death penalty on gay people?
Around the world, queer people continue to face discrimination, violence, harassment and social stigma. While social movements have marked progress towards acceptance in many countries, in others homosexuality continues to be outlawed and penalised, sometimes with death.
According to Statistica Research Department, as of 2024, homosexuality is criminalised in 64 countries globally, with most of these nations situated in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In 12 of these countries, the death penalty is either enforced or remains a possibility for intimate, consensual same-sex sexual activity.
In many cases, the laws only apply to sexual relations between two men, but 38 countries hold amendments that include those between women in their definitions.
These penalisations represent abuses of human rights, especially the rights to freedom of expression, the right to develop one's own ego and the right to life.
Which countries enforce the death penalty for homosexuality?
Saudi Arabia
The Wahabbi interpretation of Sharia law in Saudi Arabia maintains that acts of homosexuality should be disciplined in the sa
Love is not a crime
ECPM calls on all countries to respect everyone’s sexual freedom
With this campaign, ECPM denounces sexual discrimination and urges countries that sentence people to death on the grounds of sexual orientation to decriminalise it. ECPM also denounces countries with openly homophobic legislation. Since 2005, ECPM has connected the Paris Lgbtq+ fest March in sustain of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Campaign design : Marty Planchais
12 countries apply the death penalty for homosexuality
12 countries in the world still own laws providing for the death penalty for homosexuality: Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen (Sudan, which amended its legislation to repeal this punishment in July 2020, is no longer included on this list).
Since May 29, 2023, Uganda has unified the list of countries sentencing LGBTQIA+ people to death because of their gender or sexual orientation. The rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in the country are now under threat more than ever. To support the battle of these activists, you can produce a donation to Let’s Walk Uganda.
While it is almost
Recontextualizing the threat of death penalty for homosexuality in Uganda
Africa
On Tuesday Rally 21, the Ugandan parliament passed a law that severely criminalizes people who have consensual same-sex relations. At the end of April, the law had still not been validated by the President Museveni. Among a range of harsh penalties, the statute would allow the death penalty for the crime of « aggravated homosexuality ».
By « aggravated homosexuality,» the lawmakers relate to any situation where the a person who committed the offence is living with HIV, is a parent, guardian, or has authority or governance over the person against whom the offence is committed is a serial offender, applies, administers or uses any drug, material or thing with intent to stupefy or subdue the person against whom the offense is involved, if the victim is under the age of 18 years or has a disability.
In Uganda, this is not the first time that the parliament has passed a regulation criminalizing same-sex relationships and where the death penalty is among the penalties being considered. The bill, known as the « Kill the Gay Operate », was first proposed in 2
17 May: Homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty in 12 countries around the world
After a month of international pressure and boycotts, the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah was speaking for the first time since the entry into oblige of the new legislation introducing the death penalty by stoning for homosexuality and adultery.
“My country has gone decades without applying the death penalty and will maintain its moratorium on executions,” he said on Sunday, calling even for not to worry.
Since then, major media and LGBT associations hold been claiming a “backward step”.
Today, May 17, is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. ECPM sets the record straight.
See more about our campaign “The death penalty is homophobic”
Let us make no mistake about it: these recent statements are not a victory, but an attempt to appease.
- The moratorium in question has been in force since 1957 on executions (and not on convictions). There was never any question of no longer applying it.
- Homosexuality is still criminalized in the country and is now more than ever punishable by the death penalty. Convictions are not suspended und