Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Uzbekistan face legal challenges not experienced by non-

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

residents. Same-sex sexual activity between men is illegal in

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...

. The punishment is up to three years in prison. Uzbekistan is one of just three post-Soviet states in which male homosexual activity remains criminalised, along with

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

and Chechnya. Serious societal discrimination and abuse is directed towards LGBT persons, which includes mob violence, harassment, entrapment for the purpose of blackmail, and threats and use of violence. Despite the incidence of violence and intimidation, LGBT persons generally do not report these crimes to authorities for fear of further victimisation at their hands. There are reports of extortion by

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...

, intimidation, arbitrary detention, assaults and other mistreatment of victims who have sought police assistance. Human rights violations by police also include torture, and severe beatings in detention. Vigilante attacks and mob violence, and other hate crimes, including murders, are targeted at LGBT individuals. The Uzbek government has dismissed the need for action to protect

sexual minorities A sexual minority is a group whose sexual identity, sexual orientation, orientation or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society. Primarily used to refer to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or non-heterosexual individuals, it can als ...

, with one official declaring that even if same-sex sexual activities were decriminalised, LGBT persons could not be kept safe. Community attitudes that fuel such anti-LGBT activity stem from the Uzbek "mentality", with their "religion, culture, and traditions" making "gay men and women" unacceptable in the country, according to the spokesperson.

Legality of same-sex sexual activity

Consensual same-sex sexual activity between men is criminalised by Article 120 of Uzbek's criminal code (1994), laws inherited from the Soviet era:

Morality laws

Article 130 covers the distribution of pornographic materials. This provision and was strengthened in 2012:

Summary table

References

LGBT in Uzbekistan Human rights in Uzbekistan Law of Uzbekistan LGBT rights in Uzbekistan {{Uzbekistan-stub

Legality of same-sex sexual activity

Morality laws

Summary table

See also

References