Current Version
| Region | United Arab Emirates |
| Issue | Homosexual activity |
| Status | Illegal (death penalty as punishment) |
| Start Date | Jan 9, 1999 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | LGBT activities are illegal in the UAE. Punishments (under sharia law) include death, life in prison, floggings, fines, deportation, chemical castration, forced psychological treatments, honor killings, beatings, forced anal examinations, forced hormone injections, and torture. |
| Sources | https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.towleroad.com/2015/12/gay-british-man-fearing-torture-dodges-extradition-united-arab-emirates-video/ https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://web.archive.org/web/20190516235023/https://genderidentitywatch.com/2014/01/23/karen-mke-and-kamilla-satto-united-arab-emirates/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/world/middleeast/dubai-crimes-united-arab-emirates-jail.html https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a30b4f42.html https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions |
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Revision History (9)
edited by Buzdolabimotoru. Added law starting date
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | (unknown) | Jan 9, 1999 |
edited by Unknownmiles. Reverting to revision #40870: changed by spam user
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Illegal (other penalty) | Illegal (death penalty as punishment) |
| Description | Article 354 of the Federal Penal Code prescribes the death penalty for “whoever used coercion in having sexual intercourse with a female or sodomy with a male". This peculiar wording has resulted in extensive debate among legal scholars, political groups, and civil society, as to whether the provision against "sodomy" follows on from the prohibition on "coercive" sex, or whether it should be interpreted as a new clause encompassing all sodomy between men. Should the latter interpretation prevail, consensual same-sex sexual acts could be punished with execution. In addition, Article 356 of the Federal Penal Code has been interpreted by various scholars to criminalise consensual same-sex sexual activity. The original Arabic-language provision in this Article is “هتك العرض” (hatk al-‘arD), which literally translates to “disgrace to honour”, but has been translated in substantially different ways (e.g.: “voluntary debasement”, “indecent assault”, “indecency”, “carnal knowledge”) by different sources. In 2016, Federal Decree-Law No. 7 (2016) amended Article 358 to establish that any person who publicly commits a “disgraceful act” would be punished by a jail sentence for no less than 6 months. The same penalty applies to any person who says or commits any “act against the public morals”. Additionally, Sharia courts could in theory punish the crime of "zina" (adultery; sex outside of marriage) with death, which would include all same-sex sexual acts on the grounds that same-sex marriage is prohibited in the UAE. | LGBT activities are illegal in the UAE. Punishments (under sharia law) include death, life in prison, floggings, fines, deportation, chemical castration, forced psychological treatments, honor killings, beatings, forced anal examinations, forced hormone injections, and torture. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://database.ilga.org/united-arab-emirates-lgbti https://queerintheworld.com/lgbt-rights-in-the-united-arab-emirates/ | https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.towleroad.com/2015/12/gay-british-man-fearing-torture-dodges-extradition-united-arab-emirates-video/ https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://web.archive.org/web/20190516235023/https://genderidentitywatch.com/2014/01/23/karen-mke-and-kamilla-satto-united-arab-emirates/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/world/middleeast/dubai-crimes-united-arab-emirates-jail.html https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a30b4f42.html https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Illegal (death penalty as punishment) | Illegal (other penalty) |
| Description | LGBT activities are illegal in the UAE. Punishments (under sharia law) include death, life in prison, floggings, fines, deportation, chemical castration, forced psychological treatments, honor killings, beatings, forced anal examinations, forced hormone injections, and torture. | Article 354 of the Federal Penal Code prescribes the death penalty for “whoever used coercion in having sexual intercourse with a female or sodomy with a male". This peculiar wording has resulted in extensive debate among legal scholars, political groups, and civil society, as to whether the provision against "sodomy" follows on from the prohibition on "coercive" sex, or whether it should be interpreted as a new clause encompassing all sodomy between men. Should the latter interpretation prevail, consensual same-sex sexual acts could be punished with execution. In addition, Article 356 of the Federal Penal Code has been interpreted by various scholars to criminalise consensual same-sex sexual activity. The original Arabic-language provision in this Article is “هتك العرض” (hatk al-‘arD), which literally translates to “disgrace to honour”, but has been translated in substantially different ways (e.g.: “voluntary debasement”, “indecent assault”, “indecency”, “carnal knowledge”) by different sources. In 2016, Federal Decree-Law No. 7 (2016) amended Article 358 to establish that any person who publicly commits a “disgraceful act” would be punished by a jail sentence for no less than 6 months. The same penalty applies to any person who says or commits any “act against the public morals”. Additionally, Sharia courts could in theory punish the crime of "zina" (adultery; sex outside of marriage) with death, which would include all same-sex sexual acts on the grounds that same-sex marriage is prohibited in the UAE. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.towleroad.com/2015/12/gay-british-man-fearing-torture-dodges-extradition-united-arab-emirates-video/ https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://web.archive.org/web/20190516235023/https://genderidentitywatch.com/2014/01/23/karen-mke-and-kamilla-satto-united-arab-emirates/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/world/middleeast/dubai-crimes-united-arab-emirates-jail.html https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a30b4f42.html https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions | https://database.ilga.org/united-arab-emirates-lgbti https://queerintheworld.com/lgbt-rights-in-the-united-arab-emirates/ |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) | Illegal (death penalty as punishment) |
| Description | Illegal : Prosecution only at behest of husband or male guardian; any penalty will be waived with permission of complainant. (Penalty: Maximum sentence not determined—it is at discretion of the court; the minimum sentence is 6 months imprisonment) | LGBT activities are illegal in the UAE. Punishments (under sharia law) include death, life in prison, floggings, fines, deportation, chemical castration, forced psychological treatments, honor killings, beatings, forced anal examinations, forced hormone injections, and torture. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://www.towleroad.com/2015/12/gay-british-man-fearing-torture-dodges-extradition-united-arab-emirates-video/ https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://web.archive.org/web/20190516235023/https://genderidentitywatch.com/2014/01/23/karen-mke-and-kamilla-satto-united-arab-emirates/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/world/middleeast/dubai-crimes-united-arab-emirates-jail.html https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a30b4f42.html https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions | https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.towleroad.com/2015/12/gay-british-man-fearing-torture-dodges-extradition-united-arab-emirates-video/ https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions https://web.archive.org/web/20190516235023/https://genderidentitywatch.com/2014/01/23/karen-mke-and-kamilla-satto-united-arab-emirates/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/11/world/middleeast/dubai-crimes-united-arab-emirates-jail.html https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/10/one-photo-gay-man-drag-lands-death-row-abu-dhabi/ https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a30b4f42.html https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/07/12/dignity-debased/forced-anal-examinations-homosexuality-prosecutions |
Show Difference | ||
edited by asuna_offi. statut correction
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Illegal (death penalty as punishment) | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) |
| Description | LGBT activities are illegal in the UAE. Punishments (under sharia law) include death, life in prison, floggings, fines, deportation, chemical castration, forced psychological treatments, honor killings, beatings, forced anal examinations, forced hormone injections, and torture. | Illegal : Prosecution only at behest of husband or male guardian; any penalty will be waived with permission of complainant. (Penalty: Maximum sentence not determined—it is at discretion of the court; the minimum sentence is 6 months imprisonment) |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) | Illegal (death penalty as punishment) |
Reports (3)
- Newer law has been passed "??"
- Status is not correct
- Status is not correct
Reports (5)
- Status is not correct
- Sources are invalid or broken "Look at Wikipedia, go to the references. They actually never arrest any gay person since 2015"
- Sources are invalid or broken "Cross dressing is illegal and has occasionally been prosecuted, but there have been no arrests for consensual same-sex relations since 2014. The death penalty has never been applied for same-sex relations"
- Sources are invalid or broken "All these links are broken. Homosexual activity is illegal in the UAE but it is rarely enforced. The US department of State reports there have been no arrests for consensual same sex conduct since 2015
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/united-arab-emirates/
"
- Status is not correct