Gay People Are Not Safe In These Counties-Death Penalty 2023

Gay people continue to experience discrimination, violence, harassment, and social stigma on a global scale. While social movements have seen advancements toward acceptance in many nations, homosexuality is still illegal and punishable, sometimes with the death penalty, in others.

62 nations still have laws that make homosexuality illegal, many of which also forbid gender expression.

Many times, laws only cover relationships involving two men, but 38 nations have amended their definitions to include relationships involving two women.

These punishments violate people’s rights, particularly the freedom of speech, the right to cultivate one’s personality, and the right to life.

WHERE IS THE DEATH PENALTY FOR HOMOSEXUALITY ENFORCED?

– Gay People Are Not Safe In These Counties- Death Penalty 2023

1. SAUDI ARABIA

According to the Saudi Arabian Wahabbi interpretation of Sharia law, homosexual acts should be punished with death by stoning, just like adultery. Other forms of punishment for homosexuality or nonconforming gender expression include beatings, floggings, imprisonment, and forced “conversion” therapy. 

A mass execution of 37 men accused of terrorism or espionage took place in Saudi Arabia in 2019. Five of the men were also found guilty of having same-sex relations after one confessed after being tortured.

2. IRAN

The Islamic penal code of Iran forbids homosexuality and imposes severe punishments. Consensual same-sex sexual activity is prohibited, and offenders could receive a prison term, a public beating, or even the death penalty. For instance, two men who were found guilty of committing homosexual acts were hanged in prison in 2022. Even though same-sex relationships between women are not punishable by the death penalty, gay women are still subject to whippings and fines.

The Iranian government has used cultural and religious justifications to back up its stance on homosexuality, claiming that it violates Islamic principles and is sinful. As a result, LGBTQ+ people in Iran are subject to active discrimination, harassment, and violent attacks from both the government and the general public.

3. YEMEN

Homosexuality is against the law and carries a three-year maximum sentence in Yemen. According to Article 264 of the country’s penal code, “sodomy” is defined as sexual activity between two men. The law also makes it illegal to engage in “indecency” or “immorality” with another person of the same sex, including with a woman. 

Those who are found guilty of homosexuality may also be subject to fines, public floggings, or other penalties, including the death penalty. At least 35 people were executed or killed for being gay between 2012 and 2014 by the militant Ansar al-Sharia group, which is connected to al Qaeda. A trans woman was imprisoned, beaten, and tortured in 2020 as punishment for how she expressed her gender.

4. BRUNEI

Although Brunei’s Syariah Penal Code allows for the execution of those who commit sodomy, there hasn’t been an execution there since 1996. Instead, homosexuality is punishable by whipping and up to 30 years in prison for men and 10 years for women.

5. NIGERIA

The federal penal code of Nigeria carries a 14-year sentence for homosexuality. However, the regional penal code in 12 northern states has adopted Sharia law, which punishes homosexual acts with the death penalty or flogging. While the death penalty is not frequently applied in these states, gay men are frequently detained, subjected to torture, and subject to extortion from both the government and the community. 

6. MAURITANIA

Sexual acts involving people of the same sex are illegal and can result in the death penalty in Mauritania, which has a criminal code based on Sharia. However, Mauritanian officials have noted that there is a de facto moratorium on the death penalty, which has not been used since 1987. However, there are still discrimination, incarceration, and harassment against queer people in the nation.

WHO ELSE HAS HOMOSEXUALITY AS A CRIME?

1. AFRICA

Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian Territory (Gaza Strip), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania.

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2. ASIA

Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan

3. CARIBBEAN

Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Grenada, Jamaica

4. OCEANIA

Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Cook Islands, and Kiribati

ACTUAL ILLEGALITY

It’s important to remember that while the above-mentioned nations have explicit laws against homosexuality, some other nations that allow same-sex relationships still persecute those who identify as LGBTQ+.

This intolerance can manifest as the criminalization of LGBTQ+ identities and cultural expressions, the imposition of stigma, and prejudice in the workplace, in housing decisions, and healthcare access. 

RUSSIA

In spite of the fact that homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia in 1993, the government continues to enact laws that discriminate against activists and people who identify as LGBTQ+.

Putin signed a law on December 5 making it illegal to portray or discuss LGBTQ+ issues favourably in public. Violators may be subject to fines, imprisonment, or expulsion from the country.  

INDIA

In India, same-sex relationships were decriminalised in 2018, but LGBTQ+ people continue to experience significant discrimination and violence, and the nation has not yet passed comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation to safeguard their rights.

INDONESIA

Although homosexuality is technically permitted in Indonesia, LGBTQ+ people continue to face severe prejudice and persecution. Indonesia is a country with a large Muslim population, and many people there have traditional ideas about gender and sexuality.

The government has passed laws that limit the rights and expression of LGBTQ+ people, such as a 2018 law that makes it illegal to publicize “deviant” sexual acts and has been used to target LGBTQ+ people and organizations.

PUNISHMENTS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL

The remaining nations where homosexuality is still illegal have a wide range of punishments. Fines are a common form of punishment in some countries, but imprisonment, public flogging, whipping, and forced psychiatric care are all forms of violent punishment in others. 

At least nine nations, including Pakistan, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Guyana, Gambia, and Bangladesh, permit life sentences in prison for same-sex relationships. 

LGBTQ+ people in these nations frequently experience discrimination, harassment, and violence from their communities, including their families, neighbors, and even law enforcement officials, in addition to the legal penalties.

For instance, LGBTQ+ people may face discrimination in housing, employment, and healthcare, as well as verbal and physical abuse. They might also be compelled to hide their gender identity or sexual orientation, which can result in depression and other mental health problems as well as social isolation.

In some cases, vigilante groups or mobs may target LGBTQ+ people, beating or killing them without consequence. When they turn to the authorities for assistance, they risk becoming even more victimized because the police and other officials might dismiss their grievances or even detain them on homosexuality-related charges.

ENTITIES PROTECTING THE LIVES OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE

LGBTQ+ activism and advocacy are stifled by the criminalization of homosexuality. Authorities may monitor, harass, and intimidate LGBTQ+ people and organizations, and they might be held accountable for their work.

However, NGOs continue to work around the globe to support LGBTQ+ people by offering resources and, in some cases, assisting them in leaving their home countries to avoid persecution.

** You should visit our page to see the poor status of LGBTQ that we have covered in different parts of the world.