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LGBTQ rights in Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Legal Status | |
| Penalty | Up to 3 years imprisonment[2] |
| Gender identity | No |
| Military | No |
| Discrimination protections | None |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | No recognition of same-sex unions |
| Adoption | No |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people face widespread prosecution inUzbekistan.[4] Same-sex sexual activity between men is illegal inUzbekistan. The punishment is up to 3 years in prison.[2] Uzbekistan is one of just 2post-Soviet states in which male homosexual activity remains criminalized, along withTurkmenistan.[5]
Serious societal discrimination and abuse is directed towards LGBTQ 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, LGBTQ persons generally do not report these crimes to authorities for fear of further victimisation at their hands. There are reports of extortion bypolice, 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 otherhate crimes, including murders, are targeted at LGBTQ individuals.[6]
The Uzbek government has dismissed the need for action to protectsexual minorities, with one official declaring that even if same-sex sexual activities were decriminalised, LGBTQ persons could not be kept safe. Community attitudes that fuel such anti-LGBTQ activity stem from theUzbek "mentality", with their "religion, culture, and traditions" making "gay men and women" unacceptable in the country, according to the spokesperson.[3]
Laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual activity between men were enacted in theUzbek SSR in 1926.[1] It is criminalised in present-day Uzbekistan by Article 120 of Uzbek's criminal code (1994):[2][7][8]
Besoqolbozlik, that is, voluntary sexual intercourse of two male individuals – shall be punished with imprisonment up to three years.
— § 120,Uzbek Penal Code 1994 (revised 2001)
Article 130 covers the distribution of pornographic materials. This provision and was strengthened in 2012:[9][10][relevant?]
Production with a purpose of demonstration and dissemination of, as well as demonstration and dissemination of obscene objects to persons under twenty-one of age committed after imposing of administrative penalty for the same actions – shall be punished with fine from one hundred to two hundreds minimal monthly wages or correctional labor up to three years.
— § 130,Uzbek Penal Code 1994 (amended 2001)
In November 2024,Alisher Qodirov the leader of theMilliy Tiklanish party announced that he was drafting a law banning discussions of LGBT people. Qodirov claimed the law was inspired by statements made byDonald Trump's daughter,Ivanka Trump about "LGBT propaganda" in schools.[11]
In April 2023, theConstitution of Uzbekistan deliberately leaves out "sexual orientation" - despite all other categories explicitly being included - such as gender, race, religion and nationality.[12]
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| Same-sex sexual activity legal | |
| Equal age of consent |  |
| Anti-discrimination laws in employment only | |
| Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services | |
| Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech) | |
| Same-sex marriages | |
| Recognition of same-sex couples | |
| Step-child adoption by same-sex couples | |
| Joint adoption by same-sex couples | |
| Gays, lesbians and bisexuals allowed to serve openly in the military | |
| Right to change legal gender | |
| Access to IVF for lesbians | |
| Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples | |
| MSM allowed to donate blood | |
| Conversion therapy banned | |
The law criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual conduct between men. Conviction is punishable by up to three years imprisonment. The law does not criminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct between women.
