Current Version
Region | Western Sahara |
Issue | Homosexual activity |
Status | Illegal (other penalty) |
Start Date | Nov 14, 1975 |
End Date | (none) |
Description | Information related to the legality of homosexuality in Western Sahara (also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) is extremely limited. Some sources, such as The Council for Global Equality, state that homosexuality is illegal in Western Sahara. However, the actual situation is more nuanced. In 1975, Spain unilaterally withdrew from its colony of Western Sahara, and the territory was invaded by Morocco and Mauritania. Mauritania later withdrew its troops, but Morocco did not. Morocco now controls more than two-thirds of the territory claimed by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). In Morocco, homosexuality is a crime punishable by six months to three years of imprisonment, and a fine of 120 to 1,000 dirhams. However, in the territory controlled by the SADR, information on any possible punishments for homosexuality is not readily available. |
Sources | https://www.globalequality.org/storage/documents/pdf/oae2011-refguide-4page.pdf https://www.lawgratis.com/blog-detail/criminal-law-western-sahara https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-polisario-front-morocco-and-the-western-sahara-conflict/ https://ilga.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02_ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2016_ENG_WEB_150516.pdf |
Revision History (29)
Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
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Start Date | 1975 | Nov 14, 1975 |
edited by UnknownMiles. Adding more info, fixing description, links, date, and changing status.
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0 Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) | Illegal (other penalty) |
Start Date | Jan 15, 1944 | 1975 |
End Date | Nov 15, 1975 | (none) |
Description | Up to 3 years in prison. Not enforced. | Information related to the legality of homosexuality in Western Sahara (also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) is extremely limited. Some sources, such as The Council for Global Equality, state that homosexuality is illegal in Western Sahara. However, the actual situation is more nuanced. In 1975, Spain unilaterally withdrew from its colony of Western Sahara, and the territory was invaded by Morocco and Mauritania. Mauritania later withdrew its troops, but Morocco did not. Morocco now controls more than two-thirds of the territory claimed by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). In Morocco, homosexuality is a crime punishable by six months to three years of imprisonment, and a fine of 120 to 1,000 dirhams. However, in the territory controlled by the SADR, information on any possible punishments for homosexuality is not readily available. |
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Sources | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/ https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#morocco_western_sahara https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html | https://www.globalequality.org/storage/documents/pdf/oae2011-refguide-4page.pdf https://www.lawgratis.com/blog-detail/criminal-law-western-sahara https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-polisario-front-morocco-and-the-western-sahara-conflict/ https://ilga.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/02_ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2016_ENG_WEB_150516.pdf |
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edited by DaisyGeekyTrans. Fixing date overlap.
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0 Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Sep 8, 2018 | Nov 15, 1975 |
Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | (REMOVED) | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) |
Special Status | Ambiguous | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) |
End Date | Aug 19, 2018 | Sep 8, 2018 |
Description | Up to 3 years in prison. Under area controlled by morocco. Legal in area near border. | Up to 3 years in prison. Not enforced. |
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Sources | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#morocco_western_sahara https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/ https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#morocco_western_sahara https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Male illegal, female legal | (REMOVED) |
Special Status | Male illegal, female legal | Ambiguous |
Description | Up to 3 years in prison. Not enforced. | Up to 3 years in prison. Under area controlled by morocco. Legal in area near border. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Description | six months in prison and a fine. Not enforced. | Up to 3 years in prison. Not enforced. |
Old Value | New Value | |
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Start Date | Nov 15, 1975 | Jan 15, 1944 |
End Date | Aug 7, 2018 | Aug 19, 2018 |
Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Jul 22, 2018 | Jul 28, 2018 |
Description | six months in prison and a fine. | six months in prison and a fine. Not enforced. |
Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Jul 20, 2018 | Jul 22, 2018 |
Description | six months in prison and a fine. not enforced. | six months in prison and a fine. |
Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) | Male illegal, female legal |
End Date | Jul 9, 2018 | Jul 20, 2018 |
Description | six months in prison and a fine. not enforced. Decriminalization pending. | six months in prison and a fine. not enforced. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Jun 24, 2018 | Jul 9, 2018 |
Description | 3 months to 3 years in prison. not enforced. Decriminalization pending. | six months in prison and a fine. not enforced. Decriminalization pending. |
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Sources | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/interactive/2018/04/16/sexual-orientation-gender-identity-country-profiles#morocco_western_sahara https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Jun 13, 2018 | Jun 24, 2018 |
Description | 3 months to 3 years in prison. not enforced. | 3 months to 3 years in prison. not enforced. Decriminalization pending. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Legal | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) |
End Date | Apr 5, 2018 | Jun 13, 2018 |
Description | Not one of the 38 countries that outlaws homosexuality. | 3 months to 3 years in prison. not enforced. |
Sources | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/gay-lesbian-bisexual-relationships-illegal-in-74-countries-a7033666.html |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Sources | https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/world_report_download/201801world_report_web.pdf | https://www.amnestyusa.org/files/making_love_a_crime_-_facts__figures.pdf |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) | Legal |
End Date | Apr 1, 2018 | Apr 5, 2018 |
Description | upt to 3 years in prison. | Not one of the 38 countries that outlaws homosexuality. |
Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Legal | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) |
Description | Not criminalized in southern part. | upt to 3 years in prison. |
Old Value | New Value | |
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Value | Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) | Legal |
End Date | Mar 8, 2018 | Apr 1, 2018 |
Description | Six months to 3 years in prison and or fine 120- 1000 dirhams under Article 489 of Morrocon Criminal Code. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. Also morocco controls a vast portion of the territory. According to the 2018 World Report. | Not criminalized in southern part. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Feb 10, 2018 | Feb 12, 2018 |
Description | Six months to 3 years in prison ; fine 120- 1000 dirhams. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. Also morocco controls a vast portion of the territory. | Six months to 3 years in prison and or fine 120- 1000 dirhams under Article 489 of Morrocon Criminal Code. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. Also morocco controls a vast portion of the territory. According to the 2018 World Report. |
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Sources | https://lgbt-rights-hrw.silk.co/ | https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/world_report_download/201801world_report_web.pdf |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Nov 16, 2017 | Jan 29, 2018 |
Description | Six months to 3 years in prison ; fine 120- 1000 dirhams. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. | Six months to 3 years in prison ; fine 120- 1000 dirhams. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. Also morocco controls a vast portion of the territory. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Description | Six months to 3 years in prison. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. | Six months to 3 years in prison ; fine 120- 1000 dirhams. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Sep 20, 2017 | Nov 16, 2017 |
Description | Up to 3 years in prison. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. | Six months to 3 years in prison. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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Description | Up to 3 years in prison. the same as morocco. | Up to 3 years in prison. the same as morocco. Follows Morroco's laws because it doesn't have a government. |
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Old Value | New Value | |
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End Date | Aug 10, 2017 | Sep 20, 2017 |
Description | Only illegal in northern part of the province. Punishment of 3 years in prison. | Up to 3 years in prison. the same as morocco. |
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Old Value (Original) | New Value | |
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End Date | Mar 6, 2017 | Aug 10, 2017 |
Description | only illegal in northern part of the province. | Only illegal in northern part of the province. Punishment of 3 years in prison. |
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