Countries where homosexuality is punishable by death

Twelve countries globally maintain the death penalty as a legal punishment for homosexuality, according to data by Statista.

The jurisdictions identified include Mauritania, Iran, Afghanistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Uganda, Somalia, and Brunei.

Legal experts note that these figures represent a mix of nations where the sentence is actively carried out and those where the statute remains on the books as a legal possibility.

The application of such extreme measures is often tied to specific regional judicial systems, particularly in areas where Sharia law is enforced.

In several of these nations, the death penalty is not a mandatory sentence but remains a discretionary option for the judiciary.

Human rights organizations continue to monitor these developments, noting that legal frameworks in countries like Uganda have recently evolved to include such severe penalties.

The data underscores the significant legal challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in these specific territories.