press releaseAcross the Middle East and North Africa region, the criminalization of consensual same-sex relations and diverse gender expressions persists, subjecting people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) to widespread human rights abuses. The fight to abandon laws that criminalize same-sex relations and ensure equality for all may overlook other oppressive practices employed by states to "legally" harass and prosecute LGBT people. In Egypt, while consensual same-sex relations are not explicitly criminalized, vaguely defined laws related to public morality provide a pretext for discriminatory treatment. In Jordan, where consensual same-sex relations have been decriminalized since 1951, the absence of robust legal protections leaves LGBT people vulnerable to state-sanctioned discrimination. Decriminalization of same-sex relations should include all the necessary legislative measures that not only prohibit bias and discrimination, but that guarantee accountability, justice, and protection from harmful and inhuman treatment.
