Countries map
This map uses the Peters Projection which presents countries in their true proportion to one another.
Share/Embed map
Share map
Link:
Embed:

Countries

Asia

Afghanistan

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Brunei

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
Maximum punishment:

Death by stoning

More info

Indonesia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
  • Maintains discriminatory age of consent
Maximum punishment:

Eight years imprisonment and 100 lashes

More info

Iran

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Iraq

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

More info

Malaysia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
Maximum punishment:

Twenty years imprisonment and whipping

More info

Maldives

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Eight years imprisonment and 100 lashes

More info

Oman

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment

More info

Qatar

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Death by stoning

More info

Saudi Arabia

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
Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Sri Lanka

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
Maximum punishment:

Ten years imprisonment and a fine

More info

Syria

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment

More info

United Arab Emirates

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
Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Yemen

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Africa

Algeria

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 Dinars

More info

Burundi

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Two years imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Burundian Francs

More info

Cameroon

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Five years imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 West African CFA Francs

More info

Chad

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Two years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 West African CFA Francs

More info

Comoros

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Five years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000,000 Comorian Francs

More info

Eritrea

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment

More info

Ethiopia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

One year imprisonment

More info

Guinea

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000,000 Guinean Francs

More info

Liberia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

One year imprisonment

More info

Libya

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Five years imprisonment

More info

Malawi

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
Maximum punishment:

Fourteen years imprisonment with corporal punishment

More info

Mauritania

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Death by stoning

More info

Morocco

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 Dirhams

More info

Nigeria

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
Maximum punishment:

Death by stoning

More info

Senegal

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Five years imprisonment and a fine of 1,500,000 West African CFA Francs

More info

Somalia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Death penalty

More info

Sudan

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

Tanzania

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

The Gambia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

Togo

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 West African CFA Francs

More info

Tunisia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Three years imprisonment

More info

Uganda

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
  • Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

Zambia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Life imprisonment

More info

Caribbean and the Americas

Saint Lucia

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Ten years imprisonment

More info

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Ten years imprisonment

More info

Pacific

Solomon Islands

Criminalisation:
  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
  • Criminalises sexual activity between females
Maximum punishment:

Fourteen years imprisonment

More info

Key Facts

  • 63

    jurisdictions criminalise private, consensual, same-sex sexual activity. The majority of these jurisdictions explicitly criminalise sex between men via ‘sodomy’, ‘buggery’ and ‘unnatural offences’ laws. Almost half of them are Commonwealth jurisdictions.

  • 40

    countries criminalise private, consensual sexual activity between women using laws against ‘lesbianism’, ‘sexual relations with a person of the same sex’ and ‘gross indecency’. Even in jurisdictions that do not explicitly criminalise women, lesbians and bisexual women have been subjected to arrest or threat of arrest.

  • 12

    countries have jurisdictions in which the death penalty is imposed or at least a possibility for private, consensual same-sex sexual activity. At least 6 of these implement the death penalty – Iran, Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen – and the death penalty is a legal possibility in Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, UAE and Uganda.

  • 14

    countries criminalise the gender identity and/or expression of transgender people, using so-called ‘cross-dressing’, ‘impersonation’ and ‘disguise’ laws. In many more countries transgender people are targeted by a range of laws that criminalise same-sex activity and vagrancy, hooliganism and public order offences.

Support our Work

63 countries have jurisdictions that still criminalise LGBT people. Together, we can bring this number down. A donation today will help continue our vital support for LGBT people and governments seeking to change laws around the world.

Donate

Find out about the research

Across the world lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are criminalised for who they are and who they love.

Read more
Find out about the research

Sign up to receive updates

Join our newsletter to receive regular updates about decriminalisation efforts around the world, including breaking news on key legal cases, hot off the press reports, invitations to events and messages from our Chief Executive.

SIGN UP