Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is being celebrated in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. However, the event is restricted to numerous countries where it is a 'crime' to be LGBTQ+. This year Uganda, a country in Africa, enacted the strictest anti-gay laws-Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023. Uganda has imposed a life sentence for engaging in "same-sex sexual acts". While the Uganda law drew international condemnation, LGBTQ remains heavily criminalised in several parts of the world.
Of the 193 countries in the United Nations, 64 still criminalise same-sex acts, according to International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Trans, and Intersex Association (IGLA)
Of the 52 countries, same-sex acts are considered illegal in 32 nations--Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Countries where same-sex acts are considered illegal include--Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.
In the Americas, same-sex acts are prohibited in Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Island countries where same-sex acts are prohibited include Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Kiribati.
Across the world, criminal sentences for same-sex acts range from fines to imprisonment. In Russia for example same-sex acts are legal since 1993 but the government has targeted LGBTQ communities through discriminatory propaganda and fines.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Uganda, Nigeria, Iran, Brunei, Mauritania
Prison, fines, or whipping: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Uganda, Oman, Malaysia, Kuwait, South Sudan, Brunei, Malawi
India, Mozambique, Singapore, Angola, and Botswana.
South Africa, Andorra, Cuba, Slovenia, Taiwan
Malta, Canada, Switzerland
Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.