Death penalty lgbtq

Which countries impose the death penalty on gay people?

Around the world, queer people continue to deal with 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 private, consensual gay sexual activity.

In many cases, the laws only apply to sexual relations between two men, but 38 countries own amendments that include those between women in their definitions.

These penalisations represent abuses of human rights, especially the rights to freedom of verbalization, the right to develop one's control personality 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 linked the Paris Identity festival March in endorse of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Campaign design : Marty Planchais

12 countries apply the death penalty for homosexuality

12 countries in the world still hold 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 connected 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 struggle of these activists, you can build a donation to Let’s Walk Uganda.

While it is almost

Six sentenced to death in Bangladesh for killing LGBTQ activists

Dhaka, Bangladesh – A court in Bangladesh has sentenced six members of a banned group to death and acquitted two others in connection with the murder of two LGBTQ rights activists five years ago.

Xulhaz Mannan was the editor of Bangladesh’s first and only male lover rights magazine, Roopban. Mahbub Rabby Tonoy was his friend and associate.

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The two were hacked to death at their apartment in capital Dhaka on April 25, 2016, by the men belonging to Ansar al-Islam, a group banned by the Bangladesh government the previous year. Officials say the group is a local affiliate of the al-Qaeda group.

Amid snug security on Tuesday, Assess Md Majibur Rahman of the special anti-terrorism tribunal pronounced the verdict in the presence of four of the eight accused in a packed courtroom

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Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual outing between males
  • Criminalises sexual task between females
  • Imposes the death penalty

Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual outing between males

Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

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

Maximum punishment:

Death by stoning

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual exercise between males
  • Criminalises sexual action between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
  • Maintains discriminatory age of consent

Maximum punishment:

Eight years imprisonment and 100 lashes

More info

Criminalisation:

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity

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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 trans people
    • Imposes the death penalty

    Summary

    Same-sex sexual activity is prohibited under the Criminal Codes of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, which criminalises ‘unnatural sex with another person’, and Dubai, which criminalises acts of ‘sodomy’. The Federal Penal Code criminalises ‘voluntary debasement’, but it is not clear what acts this covers. These provisions move a maximum penalty of fourteen years’ imprisonment. Both men and women are criminalised under the commandment. Same-sex sexual activity may also be penalised under Sharia law, under which the death penalty is possible, though there is no evidence that this has been used against LGBT people.

    In addition to potentially being captured by laws that criminalise gay activity, trans people may also face prosec death penalty lgbtq