Countries that believe gay and lesbian citizens should be executed
Homosexuality is a crime in 64 countries worldwide
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Ghana has get the latest African country to put forward legislation outlawing homosexuality.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Standards Bill, which seeks to criminalise Gay activities and lobbying, is returning to parliament after former president Nana Akufo-Addo failed to indicate it into statute before leaving office at the launch of this year.
The bill is creature sponsored by 10 lawmakers from both major parties, "an unusual bipartisan endeavor in Ghana's polarised political landscape", said The Africa Announce, and comes "despite international outcry and warnings from Ghana's key development partners".
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The legislation, which has the backing of President John Dram
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Criminalisation:
- Criminalises LGBT people
- Criminalises sexual activity between males
- Criminalises sexual activity between females
- Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:
Death penalty
More infoCriminalisation:
- Criminalises LGBT people
- Criminalises sexual activity between males
Maximum punishment:
Life imprisonment
More infoCriminalisation:
- Criminalises LGBT people
- Criminalises sexual activity between males
- Criminalises sexual outing between females
- Criminalises the gender expression of trans people
- Imposes the death penalty
Maximum punishment:
Death by stoning
More infoCriminalisation:
- Criminalises LGBT people
- Criminalises sexual activity between males
- Criminalises sexual activity between females
- Criminalises the gender expression of transgender people
- Maintains discriminatory age of consent
Maximum punishment:
Eight years imprisonment and 100 lashes
More infoCriminalisation:
- Criminalises LGBT people
- Criminalises sexual activity
Which countries impose the death penalty on gay people?
Around the world, queer people continue to face discrimination, violence, harassment and social stigma. While social movements have marked progress towards acceptance in many countries, in others homosexuality continues to be outlawed and penalised, sometimes with death.
According to Statistica Research Department, as of 2024, homosexuality is criminalised in 64 countries globally, with most of these nations situated in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In 12 of these countries, the death penalty is either enforced or remains a possibility for personal, consensual same-sex sexual activity.
In many cases, the laws only apply to sexual relations between two men, but 38 countries include amendments that include those between women in their definitions.
These penalisations represent abuses of human rights, especially the rights to freedom of expression, the right to develop one's own character and the right to life.
Which countries enforce the death penalty for homosexuality?
Saudi Arabia
The Wahabbi interpretation of Sharia law in Saudi Arabia maintains that acts of homosexuality should be disciplined in the sa
Iran defends execution of same-sex attracted people
The US on Wednesday accused Iran of violating fundamental human rights after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif endorsed the execution of gay people.
Zarif defended his country's draconian policies at a combined press conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Tehran on Monday.
A reporter from German tabloid Bild asked: "Why are homosexuals executed in Iran because of their sexual orientation?"
He responded: "Our world has moral principles. And we live according to these principles. These are moral principles concerning the behavior of people in general. And that means that the law is respected and the regulation is obeyed," after railing against human rights violations by the US and Israel.
Maas, who was in Iran to negotiate the continuation of the nuclear deal, largely ignored the issue at the time.
Read more: Amnesty International reports global drop in executions
Shadi Amin, an Iranian writer and activist who now lives in Germany, told DW-Farsi that she was "outraged" by the Iranian foreign minister's comments. "Humiliation, repression and sexual harassment of a particular social organization should be viewed critic
Homosexuality: The countries where it is illegal to be gay
Reality Check teamBBC News
Getty ImagesUS Vice-President Kamala Harris who is on a tour of three African countries - Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia - has drawn criticism over her support for LGBTQ rights.
In Ghana, in a speech calling for "all people be treated equally" she appeared to criticise a bill before the country's parliament which criminalises lobbying for gay rights and proposes jail terms for those that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
The country's Speaker Alban Bagbin later called her remarks "undemocratic" and urged lawmakers not to be "intimidated by any person".
In Tanzania, a former minister spoke against US back for LGBTQ rights ahead of the visit and in Zambia some conflict politicians have threatened to hold protests.
Where is homosexuality still outlawed?
There are 64 countries that have laws that criminalise homosexuality, and nearly half of these are in Africa.
Some countries, including several in Africa, have recently moved to decriminalise same-sex unions and improve rights for LGBTQ people.
In December