In 1949, Victoria abolished capital punishment for homosexuality but it remained illegal with a punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

Until 1975, male homosexuality was illegal throughout all of Australia. Lesbianism remained legal however. In 1949, Victoria became the last state to abolish it as a capital offence.

In 1949, Panama criminalised sodomy with imprisonment instead of the death penalty until 2008.

Homosexuality was illegal, so there was no legal age of consent.

After the Communist Party led by Mao Zedong came to power in 1949, they "stamped out anything they deemed deviant or decadent." During the 1960's and 70's, which was during the Cultural Revolution, gay people were subjected to public humiliation and long prison terms.

Article 208 of the Penal Code (1949) prohibits "offensive public utterances" in writing, graphics, images, and other forms of expression. Before the civil war, it was reported that films with LGBT content were censored. In June 2022, it was reported that Syria's Directorate of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection confiscated around 600 rainbow kites as their designs were similar to the pride flag and therefore "indicating homosexuality". Various articles of Law No. 93 (1958) allow the Ministry to appoint or remove board members, disallow political participation, foreign funding, and allow the registration to be rescinded at will. Further, Article 35 allows any Board decision to be suspended “if it deems it to be against the law, the public order or morals”. This legal framework appears to pose severe barriers to the formal registration and the operation of an organisation working on sexual and gender diversity issues. During the civil war, some regions became more tolerant due to the division of the country. However, there were also some cases of even LGBTIQ+ people in support of the Assad regime threatening to expose LGBTIQ+ people opposed to the regime to the authorities.

Same-sex marriage or civil unions are not legal

Article 520 of the Penal Code (1949) criminalizes “unnatural sexual intercourse.” Potential imprisonment of up to 3 years. Not enforced by regime. In 2003 Syria, at the UN Commission on Human Rights, voted to postpone a draft UN resolution on human rights and sexual orientation. The vote was 24 to 17. The draft resolution was to bring the Commission to express its deep concern at the occurrence of human rights violations worldwide against people on the basis of their sexual orientation; Stress that human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birthright of all human beings and that the universal character of these rights and freedoms is indisputable; and call on all States to promote and protect the fundamental rights of all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation.