10 nations with large Muslim populations have laws providing for the death penalty for same-sex activity.
Only a few actually impose the death sentence. Exactly how many is a difficult question.
The
2016 State-Sponsored Homophobia report from ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, lists 13-14 places that threaten the death penalty for homosexuality, including the basic 10 plus several specific variations:
One where executions occur - and go unpunished - despite the fact that there is no death-penalty law (Iraq);
One that has approved a death-penalty provision but has not yet incorporated it into the nation's laws (Brunei);
One that conducts executions but is not recognized as a nation (the Islamic State, also known as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL);
One where, in theory, a particular interpretation of its laws would provide for the death penalty but, in practice, no executions have been reported (United Arab Emirates)
The ILGA list is quite similar to this blog's list of those 14 countries, printed below:
A best-information-available list of countries/regions where executions for homosexual activity are carried out or are provided by current or future law:
Nations with such laws on the books; executions have been carried out
1. Iran
2. Saudi Arabia
Nations with such laws on the books; no recent executions reported
3. Sudan
4. Yemen
Nations with such laws on the books in part of the country; no verified executions for homosexual activity
5. Nigeria
6. Somalia
Nations with such laws on the books; no executions reported
7. Afghanistan
8. Mauritania
9. Pakistan
10. Qatar
Those are the "10 nations with large Muslim populations" mentioned in this article's 1st paragraph." In addition, executions and possible executions are an issue in 4 other places:
Nation with no such a law on the books; executions are carried out by militias and others
11. Iraq
Not recognized as a nation; carries out executions
12. Daesh/the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL)
Nation where such a law was scheduled to take effect in 2016 (but might not)
13. Brunei Darussalam
Nation where some interpretations of existing law would provide for the death penalty, but no executions have been reported
14. United Arab Emirates
News coverage in all of those nations is unreliable at best, so specific evidence of executions for same-sex intimacy is rare. What's known about some specific countries is cited below.
In
Nigeria,
the BBC reported in 2007, "More than a dozen Nigerian Muslims have been sentenced to death by stoning and for sexual offences ranging from adultery and homosexuality. But none of these death sentences have actually been carried out as they were either thrown out on appeal or commuted to prison terms as a result of pressure from human rights groups."
In
Sudan, the death penalty is in frequent use, but there are no recent reports of executions for same-sex intimacy. In 2014, Sudan ranked at No. 6 worldwide in number of executions (23+) for various offenses, just below the United States, with 35,
according to Amnesty International.
Similarly,
Yemen is No. 7 in frequency of executions overall, but the death penalty apparently has not been imposed recently for homosexual activity.
Researchers for Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board reported more than 10 years ago, "Information on whether such sentences have been carried out was not found." More recently
an article on Yemen's gay community in The Tower magazine stated, "Traditionally, that death penalty is not enforced, but citizens have been imprisoned for their sexual orientation."
Evidence is a bit clearer about 2 war-torn areas - Iraq and the territory controlled by Daesh/the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). The ILGA report of 2015 noted that "Iraq, although [the death penalty is] not in the civil code, clearly has judges and militias throughout the country that issue the death sentence for same-sex sexual behaviours. ... We are also aware that in the Daesh (ISIS/ISIL)-held areas the death penalty is implemented (although a non-State actor, it is listed in the report)." For examples, see:
In some nations, the death penalty is on the books but is not imposed. ILGA in 2015 stated:
ILGA reported in 2016 about Brunei: "there is no sign that the threatened death penalty is to be implemented."
ILGA reported in 2016 that "although is understood that the United Arab Emirates has not implemented [the death penalty] under the Sharia code, it remains a possibility under interpretations current in the Emirates."
This blog post is a reprint of the newly updated version of this blog’s page about countries that threaten the death penalty for homosexuality, incorporating newly released information from the 2016 State-Sponsored Homophobia report from ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.
For more information:
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Source:
76crimes.com, June 9, 2016