LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Saudi Arabia face repression and discrimination.[3] The government of Saudi Arabia provides no legal protections for LGBT rights. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal within the country.[4]: 135–136
LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia
Illegal: Sharia (Islamic law) is applied
- Capital punishment,[1] prison terms (indeterminate length),[2] flogging, fines, deportation
No
No
No protections
No recognition of same-sex relationships
No
The law of Saudi Arabia is uncodified; a Wahhabist interpretation of sharia, derived from the Quran and the Sunnah, is the basis of the law and justice system.[5]: 205 In particular, the Quranic account of the prophet Lut and certain teachings of Muhammad in the Sunnah, as viewed in the Wahhabi tradition, inform the legal treatment of same-sex sexual activity and nonconforming-gender presentation. Homosexuality and transgender status or gender non-conformity are widely seen as immoral and indecent, and the law allows penalties for acts of homosexuality of capital punishment,[4]: 69–74 [1][6] prison sentences of indeterminate length[a][2] (the maximum term is unknown[7]), fines, flogging, and deportation for foreigners.[8] During investigations and detentions, mistreatment of suspects and detainees, including beatings and torture, have occurred.[5]: 208–209 Community violence against LGBT persons occurs.[9][10]
In May 2023, the Saudi Tourism Authority website updated its FAQ page stating that all visitors, including LGBT visitors, were welcome to visit the country.[11] Though homosexuality remains illegal, enforcement of the laws is not universal.[12] The move follows a series of social and economic changes, including the abandonment of the enforcement of wearing the hijab in public,[13][14] and the opening of the first public beach in Saudi Arabia where women can wear bikinis.[15] The decision to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup within Saudi Arabia received strong criticism from the LGBT community.[3]
Same-sex relationships[edit]
Saudi Arabia does not recognise, allow, or perform same-sex marriage, domestic partnerships, or civil unions.
Living conditions[edit]
Cultural norms[edit]
Foreigners in Saudi Arabia may initially feel that social customs encourage homosexuality.[60] Unmarried women and families are generally kept separate from single men as much as possible, and dating is generally seen as being taboo and immoral. Opposite sex couples may be harassed if they demonstrate affection in public; however it is not uncommon to see heterosexual men seemingly expressing affection toward each other in public (e.g., kissing on the cheeks or holding hands.) The practice of men holding hands or kissing on the cheeks in public, is a social custom in parts of the Middle East and Asia; it is a symbol of friendship and not homosexuality.[61] Also given the limited sexual contact with women pre-marriage, and the dangers in having an unmarried woman get pregnant, there is a degree of unspoken situational bisexuality that may exist among young men and women.[62][60] There have been some reports that this bisexuality is becoming more common among the upper classes.[60]
Bars and nightclubs are illegal, although there are some reports of underground dance clubs in the major cities.[60] Private gatherings are generally permitted but they are traditionally segregated by gender. In contrast, private gatherings where non-relative individuals of opposite sexes intermingle are considered taboo and might be raided by the police or the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV). While the CPVPV views combating homosexuality as one of its major objectives, the targets of its interventions against improper socialising are more likely to be the mixed-sex, than the single-sex gathering.[24]