LGBT rights in the Gambia
| LGBT rights in the Gambia | |
|---|---|
 The Gambia |
|
| Same-sex sexual activity legal? | Illegal[1] |
|
Penalty:
|
Up to 14 years imprisonment[1] |
| Gender identity/expression | – |
| Family rights | |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the Gambia face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in the Gambia.
Contents |
[edit] Law regarding same-sex sexual activity
Under Article 144 of the Criminal Code, any same-sex sexual act is punishable with up to 14 years imprisonment.[1] Originally, Gambia's law only applied to males, but was updated in 2005 to apply to lesbians as well.[2]
President Yahya Jammeh, Gambia's military ruler, said in May 2008 that stricter laws against homosexuals would soon be introduced and vowed to "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in his country.[3] Jammeh later retracted the beheading threat, but stood by a threat to hunt down and expel homosexuals from their houses.[2]
[edit] Recognition of same-sex relationships
Same-sex couples have no legal recognition.
[edit] Discrimination protections
There is no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
[edit] Living conditions
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "there is strong societal discrimination against LGBT individuals, but officially there are no laws that deny such individuals access to citizenship, employment, housing, education, or healthcare." The report also found that there were no known LGBT organizations in the country, and that "many citizens shunned lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals."[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults". http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2010.pdf.
- ^ a b http://allafrica.com/stories/200806120906.html
- ^ President plans to kill off every single homosexual – The Gambia – Religion – Sexuality – International – Governance – Africa
- ^ http://paei.state.gov/documents/organization/160123.pdf
[edit] External links
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