LGBTQ rights in the Middle East

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "LGBTQ rights in the Middle East" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

LGBTQ rights in the Middle East
Same-sex marriage done abroad recognized   Civil unions, same-sex marriage done abroad recognized   Homosexuality is legal   Anti-propaganda law   Prison unenforced   Punishable by prison   Death penalty unenforced   Enforced death penalty
Status	Legal in: Turkey, Israel, Egypt (de jure), Jordan, West Bank, Lebanon (de facto), Cyprus, Northern Cyprus, Bahrain, Kuwait (for females) Illegal in: Syria, Egypt (de facto), Gaza Strip, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon (de jure), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Kuwait (for males)

Part of a series on
LGBTQ rights
Lesbian ∙ Gay ∙ Bisexual ∙ Transgender ∙ Queer
Overview Rights Movements Student Germany (pre-1933) United States Intersex rights Social attitudes Transgender rights Legal status Movement
Aspects Decriminalization Marriage Legal status Timeline Migration Military service Organizations List Parenting Adoption Pinkwashing Relationship Recognition Union
Opposition Censorship Conversion therapy Corrective rape Discrimination Criminalization of homosexuality Execution Opposition Propaganda Rhetoric Violence
Organizations LGBTQ Bisexual Intersex Community centre Medical Military and Veteran Rights Transgender United States Religious Christian Jewish Muslim
Politics Anarchist Bisexual politics Communism Conservatism Ecology Homonationalism Liberation Libertarianism Nationalism Radicalism Sexual revolution Socialism Transfeminism Political parties affiliates Political ideologies regarding LGBTQ
Timeline Years List Category
Related Discrimination Freedom Index Human rights Minority rights LGBTQ people in prison
LGBTQ portal
v t e

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people generally have limited or highly restrictive rights in most parts of the Middle East, and are open to hostility in others. Sex between men is illegal in 9 of the 18 countries that make up the region. It is punishable by death in four of these 18 countries. The rights and freedoms of LGBT citizens are strongly influenced by the prevailing cultural traditions and religious mores of people living in the region – particularly Islam.

All same-sex activity is legal in Cyprus, Northern Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, and Turkey.

Male same-sex activity is illegal and punishable by imprisonment in Iraq, Kuwait, Egypt, Oman, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. It is also punishable by death in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. In Yemen and the Gaza Strip, the punishment might differ between death and imprisonment depending on the act committed.