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LGBT Rights in Cyprus

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Civil unions
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    Ambiguous
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (6-month deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Recebt studies in Cyprus have revealed a prevalence of resistance towards LGBTQ+ rights.

History

Homosexual activity in Cyprus

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Homosexual activity in Cyprus is legal.

Current status
Since May 21, 1998
Legal
Homosexuality legalised following the European Court of Human Rights case of Modinos v. Cyprus.
Sources:
hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/en…"dmdocnumber":["695711"],"itemid":["001-57834"]}
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Cyprus

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Same-sex marriage in Cyprus is civil unions.

Current status
Since Dec 9, 2015
Civil unions
On 26 November 2015, a civil union bill was passed by the House of Representatives with 39 in favour, 12 against and 3 abstentions. The law was published on 9 December 2015, and took effect that same day.
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Dec 8, 2015
Unrecognized
Nationwide.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Cyprus

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Censorship of LGBT Issues in Cyprus is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Cyprus, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Cyprus

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Right to change legal gender in Cyprus is ambiguous.

Current status
Ambiguous
In November 2017, President Nicos Anastasiades met advocacy group Accept-LGBT Cyprus to discuss issues concerning transgender rights. A bill to allow transgender people to change their legal sex has been drafted, with the support of the President and the Justice Minister. On 10 June 2019, following months of stalling and delay, four parents of transgender children spoke in favor of the bill and urged for its "speedy adoption". The legislation would allow transgender people over 18 to right to change their legal gender on the basis of self-determination, without a diagnosis, hormonal treatment or sex reassignment surgery. Currently, a bill is in the works for gender change to be legal with the requirement that the applicant is unmarried.
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Cyprus

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Cyprus is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
According to the ILGA Europe, there's no recognition of non-binary gender in Cyprus.
Added by Markissik  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Cyprus

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LGBT discrimination in Cyprus is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since Oct 10, 2013
Illegal in some contexts
Until 2013 discrimination was only illegal in the workplace. In 2013, the Cypriot Penal Code has been amended to make violence against LGBT people an aggravating factor in sentencing. Article 99 of the code, entitled "Incitment to violence or hatred due to sexual orientation or gender identity", provides for imprisonment not exceeding three years or to a fine not exceeding 5,000 euros for any person who "intentionally, publicly or in manner which is threatening or insulting or offensive in nature, urges or incites, orally or in writing, violence or hatred against a group, person, or a member of a group of persons on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity".
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Oct 10, 2013
Illegal
Discrimination is illegal in Cyprus.
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Cyprus

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LGBT employment discrimination in Cyprus is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2014
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Sexual orientation only in Northern Cyprus.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Cyprus

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LGBT housing discrimination in Cyprus is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Discrimination in all cases are illegal
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Cyprus

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Same-sex adoption in Cyprus is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Illegal
Sources:
Not allowed
Added by Antinousosiris  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Cyprus

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Serving openly in military in Cyprus is legal.

Current status
Since May 1, 2004
Legal
LGBT people are allowed to serve openly under new rules brought into place when Cyprus joined the European Union
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Apr 30, 2004
Illegal
Illegal due to the Ministry of Defence viewing homosexuality as mental illness.
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Cyprus

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Blood donations by MSMs in Cyprus is banned (6-month deferral).

Current status
Since 2022
Banned (6-month deferral)
MSMs face a 6-month deferral in order to donate blood.
Added by Samanthos  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until 2022
Banned (1-year deferral)
MSMs face a 1-year deferral in order to donate blood.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Cyprus

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Conversion therapy in Cyprus is banned.

Current status
Since May 25, 2023
Banned
The practice, and advertisement, of conversion therapy was banned after 36 members of parliament (out of 50 total) voted to pass the new bill into law.
Added by daikman  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 2022–May 24, 2023
Ambiguous
In April 2022, a lawmaker introduced a bill to criminally ban conversion therapy.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Jan 2022
Ambiguous
In April 2022, a lawmaker introduced a bill to criminally ban conversion therapy.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Cyprus

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Equal age of consent in Cyprus is equal.

Current status
Since Jul 11, 2002
Equal
The revised Criminal Code equalised the age of consent to 17, after pressure from the EU.
Added by James  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 21, 1998–Jul 10, 2002
Unequal
Age of consent for homosexual couples set at 18 versus 16 for heterosexual couples.
Added by beeurd  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log


LGBT Rights by District

View the LGBT laws in each individual district of Cyprus.