page_title: LGBT rights in Syria
hierarchical_section_title: LGBT rights in Syria
context_page_description: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Syrian Arab Republic may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Article 520 of the penal code of 1949, prohibits "carnal relations against the order of nature", and provides for up to three-years imprisonment.
  In territories controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—which controls around 7% of Syria—LGBT Syrians are arrested, beaten, and executed.
  Mahmoud Hassino, a gay Syrian opposition activist, journalist who started the online magazine Mawaleh, notes that regardless of the outcome of the civil war, work needs to be done in the civil right area on behalf of all Syrians, not just the LGBT community. Miral Bioredda, a secular leader of the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, said "Personally I see homosexuality as a private matter. But Syrian society would say "no way" if gays rose to claim their rights. Developing a civil society will take time." Nasradeen Ahme, a member of the Free Syrian Army which works to bring down the government of Bashar al-Assad, said "If I was in charge I would enforce tougher laws against homosexuals.
context_section_description: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Syrian Arab Republic may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Article 520 of the penal code of 1949, prohibits "carnal relations against the order of nature", and provides for up to three-years imprisonment.
  In territories controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—which controls around 7% of Syria—LGBT Syrians are arrested, beaten, and executed.
  Mahmoud Hassino, a gay Syrian opposition activist, journalist who started the online magazine Mawaleh, notes that regardless of the outcome of the civil war, work needs to be done in the civil right area on behalf of all Syrians, not just the LGBT community. Miral Bioredda, a secular leader of the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, said "Personally I see homosexuality as a private matter. But Syrian society would say "no way" if gays rose to claim their rights. Developing a civil society will take time." Nasradeen Ahme, a member of the Free Syrian Army which works to bring down the government of Bashar al-Assad, said "If I was in charge I would enforce tougher laws against homosexuals. If someone said homosexuals should be stoned to death as in Iran and Saudi Arabia, I would not object."
caption: Syria