| LGBT rights in Mauritania | |
|---|---|
Mauritania |
|
| Same-sex sexual activity legal? | Illegal: Islamic Sharia law applied |
|
Penalty:
|
Capital punishment; though no executions in last 15 years. |
| Gender identity/expression | - |
| Recognition of relationships |
No recognition of same-sex relationships |
| Discrimination protections | None |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Mauritania face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Mauritania.
Contents |
The Shari'a law applies in Mauritania. According to the penal code from 1983, part II chapter 1, section 4, Article 308 states any adult Muslim caught engaging in an "unnatural act" with a member of the same sex is punishable with the death sentence by public stoning.[1] In the past 15 years there has been no case of execution in the international media.
Due to illegality, same-sex marriage and civil unions are not permitted.
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "there was no evidence of either societal violence or systematic government discrimination based on sexual orientation, and there were no criminal prosecutions during the year. There were no organizations advocating for sexual orientation or gender-identity rights, but there were no legal impediments to the operation of such groups."[2]
|
|||||||||||