Africa
Algeria: Illegal.. Fine and/or up to three years in jail. Police and army harassment common. Fundamentalists assassinate homosexuals and honour killings by family members are common
Angola: Illegal. Penalty unclear
Benin: Illegal. Penalty unclear
Botswana: Illegal. Up to seven years imprisonment
Burkina Faso: Technically legal, but can be prosecuted under other laws
Burundi: Technically legal, but is punished as “immoral act.” Islamic law may also be enforced
Cameroon: Illegal. Fine and/or five years imprisonment
Cape Verde: Legal since 2004
Central African Republic: Legal
Chad: Situation unclear
Comoros: Situation unclear
Congo: Legal
Djibouti: Illegal. Penalty unknown
Egypt: Theoretically legal, but prosecuted under laws against promiscuity, prostitution and immorality. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of gay men have been arrested and horribly tortured, even if they’re not charged
Equatorial Guinea: Legal
Eritrea: Illegal. Up to three years imprisonment
Ethiopia: Illegal. Up to three years imprisonment
Gabon: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Gambia: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men can face 14 years imprisonment
Ghana: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men illegal, penalty unclear
Guinea: Illegal. Fine and/or three years imprisonment
Guinea Bissau: Legal
Ivory Coast: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Kenya: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men can face 14 years imprisonment
Lesotho: Situation not clear
Liberia: Illegal, but usually only treated as a misdemeanour
Libya: Illegal. Up to five years imprisonment
Madagascar: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Malawi: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Penalty for gay men unclear
Mali: Legal, but can still face two years imprisonment under other laws
Mauritania: Illegal. Penalty can be death
Mauritius: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face up to five years imprisonment
Morocco: Illegal. Fine and/or three years imprisonment
Mozambique: Illegal. Three years imprisonment and hard labour
Namibia: Lesbianism not prohibited. Penalty for gay men unclear. Namibian president says that he wants gays and lesbians arrested, imprisoned and deported
Niger: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Nigeria: Illegal. Up to 14 years imprisonment. But with much of country under sharia law, gays and lesbians can both be stoned to death. A new law to prevent gay marriage will make it illegal even to support homosexuality in the country
Reunion: Legal
Rwanda: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Sao Tome and Principe: Situation unclear
Senegal: Illegal. Fine and/or five years imprisonment
Seychelles: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Penalty for gay men unclear
Sierra Leone: With much of country controlled by rebel forces, legal situation is largely unclear
Somalia: Illegal. Up to three years imprisonment. Islamist rebels and warlords control much of country and some gays may have been killed under sharia law
South Africa: Legal, homosexuality protected in constitution. At 19, age of consent for homosexuality is three years higher. Same-sex marriage will be legal by the end of this year
Sudan: Illegal. Penalty can be death, especially in parts of country where sharia law may be in effect
Swaziland: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face fine and/or imprisonment
Tanzania: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men can face 14 years imprisonment. In Zanzibar, gay men can face 25 years and lesbians seven
Togo: Illegal. Up to three years imprisonment
Tunisia: Illegal. Up to three years imprisonment
Uganda: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men can face life imprisonment
Zaire: Unclear
Zambia: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men can face 14 years imprisonment
Zimbabwe: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men can face three years imprisonment. Have been mob attacks on gays and lesbians. President Mugabe has repeatedly attacked gays, calls them worse than pigs and dogs.
Americas</>
American Virgin Islands: Legal
Antigua & Barbuda: Situation unclear
Netherlands Antilles: Legal
Argentina: Legal
Aruba: Legal
Bahamas: Legal. But queer sexual activity in public can mean 20 years in prison. No such law exists for heterosexuals. Age of consent higher for homosexuals
Barbados: Illegal, but not enforced
Belize: Situation unclear
Bermuda: Legal, but age of consent higher
Bolivia: Legal
Brazil: Legal. But homophobic killings are common. In some states, homosexuality is protected in the constitution
Canada: Legal. Gay marriage allowed, although government is bringing forward motion to reconsider. Age for anal sex is 18, as opposed to 14 for non-anal sex
Cayman Islands: Legal
Chile: Legal, but age of consent higher
Colombia: Legal
Costa Rica: Legal in private, but “scandalous” activity prohibited
Cuba: Legal
Dominica: Illegal. Penalty is unclear
Dominican Republic: Legal
Ecuador: Legal. Homosexuality protected in constitution
El Salvador: Legal
Falkland Islands/Malvinas: Legal
French Guyana: Legal
Greenland: Legal
Grenada: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Penalty for gay men unclear
Guadeloupe: Legal
Guatemala: Legal
Guyana: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men can face life imprisonment
Haiti: Legal
Honduras: Legal, but police often lay morality and public decency charges. Constitutional ban on gay marriage and adoption
Jamaica: Lesbianism may not be prohibited, but a number of lesbians have been murdered. Gay men face up to 10 years of hard labor, and have also been murdered
Martinique: Legal
Mexico: Legal
Nicaragua: Situation unclear
Panama: Legal
Paraguay: Legal
Peru: Legal. Constitutional court recently granted gay soldiers right to have sex, including in barracks
Puerto Rico: Legal. Sodomy only legalized in 2003
Saint Kitts And Nevis: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Penalty unclear for gay men
Saint Lucia: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face 25 years imprisonment. “Buggery” is illegal, up to 25 years imprisonment, law applies to men and women, straight and gay
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines: Illegal. Penalty unclear
Surinam: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Trinidad And Tobago: Illegal. “Buggery” illegal, up to 10 years imprisonment. Separate law provides up to 20 years for gays and lesbians
Turks And Caicos Islands: Legal
United States Of America: Legal. Age of consent varies. Some states or towns prohibit gay marriage, domestic partnerships, adoption and antigay legislation. Massachussets allows gay marriage
Uruguay: Legal
Venezuela: Legal.
Asia/Pacific
Afghanistan: Uncertain.Much of country under control of Taliban and Islamist warlords
Australia: Legal. But state of Queensland sets age of consent for anal sex at 18, as opposed to 16 for non-anal sex. Penalty up to 14 years
Bangladesh: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men may face life imprisonment
Bhutan: Illegal. Up to life imprisonment
Brunei: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men could face up to 10 years imprisonment
Burma/Myanmar: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face fine and/or 10 years imprisonment. One of the largest democracy activist organizations in exile has voted to decriminalize same-sex relations
Cambodia: Legal
China: Legal
Cook Islands: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to 14 years imprisonment
Fiji Islands: Situation unclear
French Polynesia/Tahiti: Legal
Guam (USA): Legal
Hong Kong: Legal
India: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face up to 10 years imprisonment, but usually much lighter sentence
Indonesia: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Japan: Legal
Kazakhstan: Legal
Kiribati: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to14 years imprisonment
Kyrgyzstan: Legal
Laos: Situation unclear
Macao: Legal
Malaysia: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face up to 20 years imprisonment, possible caning and fine
Maldives: Illegal. Up to life imprisonment
Marshall Islands: Illegal. Up to 10 years imprisonment
Micronesia: Legal
Mongolia: Legal
Nauru: Situation unclear
Nepal: Situation unclear, especially with country torn between army and Maoist rebels
New Caledonia: Legal
New Zealand: Legal
Niue (New Zealand Associated State): Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to 10 years imprisonment
North Korea: Situation unclear
Pakistan: Illegal. Up to death, especially if sharia law is applied, as is allowed, or depending on part of country
Palau: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Penalty for gay men unclear
Papua New Guinea: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to 14 years imprisonment
Philippines: Legal
Singapore: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face up to life imprisonment
Solomon Islands: Illegal. Up to 14 years imprisonment
South Korea: Legal
Sri Lanka: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to 12 years imprisonment
Taiwan: Legal
Tajikistan: Legal
Thailand: Legal
Tokelau (New Zealand Associated State): Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to 10 years imprisonment
Tonga: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to10 years imprisonment
Turkmenistan: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to2 years imprisonment
Tuvalu: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to14 years imprisonment
Uzbekistan: Lesbianism not prohibited. Gay men face up to 3 years imprisonment
Vanuatu/New Hebrides: Legal
Vietnam: Legal
Western Samoa: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men can face up to seven years imprisonment.
Europe
Albania: Legal
Andorra: Legal
Armenia: Legal
Austria: Legal
Azerbaijan: Legal
Belgium: Legal. Gay marriage is legal
Belarus: Legal
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Legal
Bulgaria: Legal
Croatia: Legal
Cyprus: Legal
Czech Republic: Legal
Denmark: Legal
Estonia: Legal
Faroe Islands: Legal
Finland: Legal
France: Legal
Georgia: Legal
Germany: Legal. In some states, homosexuality is protected in the constitution
Greece: Legal. Only male prostitution is illegal
Hungary: Legal
Iceland: Legal
Ireland: Legal
Italy: Legal
Latvia: Legal. But gays face harassment and violence from police, Christian fundamentalists and neo-Nazis. A pride parade in Riga in July was banned by city council and the courts. A gay religious service was attacked by protestors who threw shit at participants
Liechtenstein: Legal
Lithuania: Legal
Luxembourg: Legal
Macedonia: Legal
Malta: Legal
Moldavia: Legal
Monaco: Legal
Montenegro: Legal
Netherlands: Legal. Gay marriage is legal
Norway: Legal
Poland: Legal
Portugal: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity. Homosexuality protected in constitution
Romania: Legal
Russia: Legal. But gays face harassment, violence and even murder from police, Christian fundamentalists and neo-Nazis. Moscow’s Gay Pride parade in May was attacked by Orthodox Christians and fascists, while police stood by, or even helped the attackers. Homosexuality is illegal in the Chechen Republic and the penalty may be death
San Marino: Legal
Serbia: Legal. Higher age of consent for homosexual activity
Slovakia: Legal
Slovenia: Legal
Spain: Legal. Gay marriage is legal
Sweden: Legal. Homosexuality protected in constitution
Switzerland: Legal
Turkey: Legal
Ukraine: Legal
United Kingdom: Legal
Vatican City: Homosexuality is not actually prohibited.
Middle East
Bahrain: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men can face up to 10 years
Iran: Illegal. Homosexuals can face death. Iran has publicly hanged a number of gay men over the past few years
Iraq: Situation unclear
Israel: Legal, but queers face condemnation, harassment and possible violence from Jewish, Muslim and Christian fundamentalists. The recent World Pride Day, which was supposed to be held on Aug 10, faced death threats, including a flyer that offered a reward to anyone who killed a participant. The flier included instructions on how to make bombs. The parade was cancelled due to the war in Lebanon, say organizers, although other events were to continue
Jordan: Legal
Kuwait: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face up to seven years imprisonment
Lebanon: Illegal. Up to one year imprisonment
Oman: Illegal. Up to three years imprisonment
Palestine: Legally unclear. But social taboo is overwhelming. Many homosexuals are murdered by their families. Many flee to Israel or other countries
Qatar: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Penalty for gay men is uncertain, but at least up to five years imprisonment
Saudi Arabia: Illegal. Gay men face torture, flogging and possible execution
Syria: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men face up to one year imprisonment
United Arab Emirates: Lesbianism may not be prohibited. Gay men can face death
Yemen: Illegal. Penalty can be death.
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