LGBT rights in Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Ethiopia do not exists; all homosexual activity is recognized by Ethiopian law as a sexual crime, and the promotion of homosexuality
is overwhelmingly rejected by Ethiopia
n ..
According to the 2007 Pew Global Attitudes Project, 97% of Ethiopian residents said that homosexuality should be rejected by society, which was the second-highest percentage rejecting homosexuality among the 44 countries surveyed, exceeded only by Mali at 98%.
. In December 2008, nearly a dozen religious figures adopted a resolution against homosexuality, urging lawmakers to endorse a ban on homosexual activity in the constitution.
Under Ethiopian law, homosexual activity is punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment. A homosexual act is never considered a victimless crime in Ethiopian law; rather, the wording of the penal code recognizes that it is an act of an aggressor against a victim. Consequently, the offense of the aggressor is considered aggravated, when it results in the suicide of the victim.
Mainstream Ethiopian social mores are broadly influenced by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Muslim
religious life.
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
is overwhelmingly rejected by Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n ..
According to the 2007 Pew Global Attitudes Project, 97% of Ethiopian residents said that homosexuality should be rejected by society, which was the second-highest percentage rejecting homosexuality among the 44 countries surveyed, exceeded only by Mali at 98%.
Law regarding same-sex sexual activity
Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. In December 2008, nearly a dozen religious figures adopted a resolution against homosexuality, urging lawmakers to endorse a ban on homosexual activity in the constitution.
Under Ethiopian law, homosexual activity is punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment. A homosexual act is never considered a victimless crime in Ethiopian law; rather, the wording of the penal code recognizes that it is an act of an aggressor against a victim. Consequently, the offense of the aggressor is considered aggravated, when it results in the suicide of the victim.
Mainstream Ethiopian social mores are broadly influenced by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
religious life.
Living conditions
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "there were some reports of violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals; however, reporting was limited due to fears of retribution, discrimination, or stigmatization." attempts."See also
- Human rights in EthiopiaHuman rights in EthiopiaAccording to the U.S. Department of State's human rights report for 2004 and similar sources, the Ethiopian government's human rights "remained poor; although there were improvements, serious problems remained." The report listed numerous cases where police and security forces are said to have...
- LGBT rights in AfricaLGBT rights in AfricaLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights in Africa are limited in comparison to other areas of the world, with the BBC estimating that homosexuality is outlawed in 38 African countries...
- LGBT topics and Islam
- LGBT matters and ChristianityLGBT matters and ChristianityChristian denominations have a variety of beliefs about sexual orientation, including the moral status of same-sex sexual practices and gender variance...