The Fight against Sodomy in the Islamic World. Even US ally Saudi Arabia beheads sodomites in the square near the mosque!

August 14, 2013 · Alexander Sarkisyan, Alexander Sinitsky, Analytics, Africa, Sin, Documents, Europe, Health, Moscow, Nikolay Kotyakov, Denunciations, Vestibule, Russia, Testimonies, Events, Church

Anton Trofimov. Same-sex Responsibility: 8 Countries with the Strictest Anti-Gay Laws

After the State Duma joined the fight against homosexuality at the end of last week, Forbes decided to recall how other countries deal with same-sex love.

The bill prohibiting propaganda of homosexuality among minors, adopted by the State Duma in the first reading on January 25, is called by its supporters a measure designed to protect traditional family values. At the same time, the experience of other countries is cited as one of the main arguments. To understand what other measures could be justified by foreign experience, Forbes summarized the practices of countries with the strictest anti-gay laws.

Sudan

Punishment for same-sex relations: from five years in prison to the death penalty

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

Sharia norms, which form the basis of the legislation of this North African state, directly prohibit homosexual relations, providing punishment even for a man dressing in women’s clothing. For violating this norm, a Sudanese court once sentenced 19 young people to 30 lashes each and a large (by local standards) fine of $400. If the court had proven that the party participants not only dressed in women’s clothing but also engaged in sexual intercourse, the punishment could have been much more severe—up to and including the death penalty.

Tanzania

Punishment for same-sex relations: life imprisonment

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

In 2010, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete refused to accredit a diplomat representing Western Europe on the basis of his non-traditional sexual orientation. Tanzanian authorities reacted just as harshly to the threat by British Prime Minister David Cameron to cut off financial aid if the country refused to respect the rights of sexual minorities: “We are not ready to legalize this nonsense in order to receive aid and money,” said Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe.

Barbados

Punishment for same-sex relations: life imprisonment

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

The severity of this island state’s authorities’ reaction to public displays of homosexuality can be judged by the following fact. No major cruise agency specializing in organizing trips for proponents of same-sex love includes Barbados in the list of destinations. Homosexual travelers are specifically warned about the danger of appearing on the island, let alone displaying their inclinations, which could lead not only to social violence but also to severe criminal punishment—up to and including life imprisonment.

Saudi Arabia

Punishment for same-sex relations: death penalty

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

Perhaps the most famous case of applying the death penalty for homosexuality in Saudi Arabia was the public beheading by sword of three men convicted of sodomy in 2000. This sentence became widely known outside the country and sparked many protests, which, however, led to no real consequences. The only direct outcome was the inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the list of countries that people with non-traditional sexual orientation are advised not to visit for vacation.

UAE

Punishment for same-sex relations: death penalty

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

A vivid example of the official reaction of the UAE authorities to homosexual relations is the sentence handed down to two lesbians—citizens of Bulgaria and Lebanon, accused of unnatural public embraces and kisses. They spent a month in prison, after which they were extradited. Such punishment can be considered unusually lenient: if the place of the foreigners had been UAE subjects, the matter would have ended with the death penalty by beheading.

Iran

Punishment for same-sex relations: death penalty

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

The most high-profile event demonstrating the Iranian authorities’ attitude toward homosexuality was the execution in 2005 of two underage youths accused of same-sex love—Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni. The court’s sentence was carried out despite protests and official notes from most developed countries of the world. Tehran also did not respond to the demand to impose a moratorium on the death penalty for homosexuals or to basically abandon criminal prosecution of people with non-traditional sexual orientation. And last year, the head of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights, Javad Larijani, stated that the country’s authorities consider homosexuality “a manifestation of immorality and a disease.”

Pakistan

Punishment for same-sex relations: life imprisonment

Same-sex marriage: prohibited

Possibility of adoption of children by same-sex partners: no

Anti-discrimination laws: no

Pakistan’s constitution does not explicitly ban homosexuality, but such relations are considered illegal and are prosecuted under Sharia norms that have been in force in the country since 1990. In 2011, the largest Pakistani Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami, issued a statement saying: “Such people (homosexuals) are a real curse and the dregs of society. They do not deserve the right to be called Muslims or Pakistanis.”

Malaysia

Punishment for same-sex relations: up to 20 years in prison

Same-sex marriage: banned

Possibility of adoption by same-sex partners: none

Anti-discrimination laws: none

A year ago, in January 2012, a Malaysian court acquitted the country’s former deputy prime minister and leader of the Malaysian opposition movement, Anwar Ibrahim, for the second time. He was first accused of same-sex relations in 1998 — right after relations between Ibrahim and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad escalated over differing approaches to cushioning the impact of the global financial crisis on Malaysia. On charges of corruption and sodomy, Ibrahim was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but in 2004 the sentence was reviewed and all charges were dropped. The second trial began in 2008 and dragged on for almost three years, yet again ended with the politician’s acquittal.

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