As if fleeing from tyranny and war are not enough, Syrian LGBT refugees face continued abuse and hostility from other non-gay refugees in Europe. By Anthony Faiola Washington Post October 24, 2015 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/gay-asylum-seekers-face-threat-from-fellow-refugees-in-europe/2015/10/23/46762ce2-71b8-11e5-ba14-318f8e87a2fc_story.html Dresden, Germany Rami Ktifan made a snap decision to come out. A fellow Syrian had spotted a rainbow flag lying
As of mid 2018 Syria is being torn apart by revolution, civil war, terrorist and anti-government forces all exchanging bombs, bullets, torture and assassinations. The once pleasant somewhat gay friendly city of Aleppo is half in ruins. Refugees are scattered everywhere. Chaos reigns. Any semblance of LGBT life is shattered except for private friendships.
Syria was formerly a French mandate and attained independence in 1946, but can trace its roots to the Eblan civilization in the third millennium BC. Homosexuality is of course considered illegal although instances of persecution were limited. Article 520 of the penal code of 1949, prohibits having homosexual relations, i.e. “carnal knowledge against the order of nature”, and provides for a possible three-years imprisonment. However, the law is de-facto was before the war suspended although authorities used individuals’ sexual orientation to blackmail, harass and eventually abuse members of the LGBT community. Law enforcement officers have (officially) zero tolerance toward the LGBT community.Now that war has engulfed the country anything goes and legal standards are frayed. LGBT life is truly in limbo. Also see: Islam and Homosexuality
Name: Syria
Population: 19405000
Capital: Damascus - Pop. 4000000
Area: 185180 sq. km/ sq. miles
Language: Arabic
Religion: Muslim
Status of Homosexuality: Illegal (erratically enforced)
Telephone Country Code: 963
Gay and trans Syrians routinely mutilated, raped and anally violated by ISIS militants and government officials alike, 2020/Jul/29
Non-binary Muslim writer ‘heartbroken’ after queer refugee story is banned from 11 countries, 2020/Jan/20
Shelter for LGBT Syrian refugees to open in Berlin, 2016/Feb/23
ISIS stones two more gay men to death in Syria, 2015/Oct/28
ISIS Wanted to Kill Me for Being Gay, 2015/Aug/25
Gay Refugees From ISIS, 2015/Mar/30
Sick Islamic terrorists pushed man off building for being gay – then stoned lifeless body, 2015/Feb/02
Two gay Syrian refugees get sanctuary in Canada, 2014/Sep/23
Gay Syrian refugees start new lives in Vancouver, 2014/Sep/10
LGBT Syrians seek refuge in Lebanon, 2014/May/02
Being gay in Syria, 2013/Dec/09
Syria Gay Activists Launch First Magazine, 2013/Aug/16
Gays join the Syrian uprising, 2012/Sep/07
Gays of Syria, Unite!, 2012/Aug/29
Mawaleh – Syria’s First Gay Magazine, 2012/Aug/02
Op-ed: The Legacy of the Bush War on Iraqi Gays, 2011/Dec/19
Gay Syria News & Reports 2011, 2011/May/24
Gay Syria News & Reports 2003-10, 2009/Jan/01
