Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is governed by federal Iran law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✖ Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ Other punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Restricted
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Homosexual activity in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is illegal (death penalty as punishment).

Current status
Since Feb 11, 1979
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
The punishment for homosexuality is currently death for men. (Unless if there is sex between a mature person and a minor; in which can the mature person will be killed while minor will receive up to 74 lashes. Same case applies for 2 minors.) For women, the punishment is up to 100 lashes. Women with a certain number of repeat offenses can become subject to the death penalty as well.
Details
Sources:
theguardian.com/world/2012/…
ranker.com/list/7-worst-cap…
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Jan 1, 1900–Sep 3, 2018
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
74 lashes for immature men and death penalty for mature men. 50 lashes for women. as well as life in prison. forth conviction is death penalty.
Details
Sources:
76crimes.com/76-countries-w…
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Same-sex marriage in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Same-sex marriage in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is banned.

Current status
Since Feb 11, 1979
Banned
Definition of marriage used follows from the Islamic definition of a union between a man and women. The marriage is prohibited and same-sex sexual activity is punished as stated in the Penal code.
Details
Sources:
humandignitytrust.org/count…
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Sep 16, 1941–Feb 11, 1979
Unrecognized
Under the Shah's rule, the last monarch of the Pahlavi dynasty, homosexuality was criminalised, though it was mostly tolerated even to the point of allowing news coverage of a mock same-sex wedding between two men.
Details
Sources:
"LGBT History in Iran".
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is other punishment.

Current status
Since 2013
Other punishment
Penal Code 2013, Art. 237 Other Homosexual Acts:
Article 237 provides that same-sex affection between men or between women other than ‘liwat’ or ‘tafkhiz’ (Anal Sex between men and frotting) , such as “kissing or touching as a result of lust”, is punishable with 31-74 lashes.

In Iran, there are no laws restricting to discussing LGBT topics in the Internet. However those who are accused of Political dissidence or plotting to " overthrow the Islamic Republic " could be subjected to the death penalty as well, of which charges are also included with Homosexuality . An estimated number from the Amnesty International reports is that more than 5,000 Gay men and Lesbians have been executed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Details
Sources:
dw.com/en/iran-defends-exec…
google.com/amp/s/m.jpost.co…
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Right to change legal gender in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Right to change legal gender in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Since 1987
Legal, but requires surgery
Became legal due to a fatwa from Khomeini in 1987. Trans individuals have the gender they identify with legally recognized and sex reassignment surgeries are publicly funded.
Details
Sources:
salon.com/2005/07/28/iran_t…

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/program…


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Gender-affirming care in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Gender-affirming care in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is restricted.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1987
Restricted
The process of undergoing sex reassignment surgery is extensive and arduous, and is restricted to those over the age of 18. There further exists a requirement for adult trans individuals to provide formal certification of parental approval to be issued a permit for surgery.
Access to HRT likely requires similar steps.
Details
Sources:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35511409/
ilga.org/trans-legal-mappin…
us-iran.org/resources/2021/…
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Until Jan 1, 1987
Banned
Medically transitioning in Iran was illegal prior to 1987.
Details
Sources:
researchgate.net/publicatio…s_Fatwas
us-iran.org/resources/2021/…
ilga.org/trans-legal-mappin…
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Third gender here is not allowed.
Details
Sources:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tra…
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LGBT discrimination in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

LGBT discrimination in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is no protections.

Current status
Since Oct 24, 1979
No protections
Formally, Iranian government believes every citizen to be heterosexual, stripping protection for LGBTQ+ community.
Details
Sources:
servat.unibe.ch/icl/ir00000_.html
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LGBT employment discrimination in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is no protections.

Current status
Since Oct 24, 1979
No protections
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, so no protections for Employment exist if you are an LGBT person.
Details
Sources:
thefrisky.com/2016-06-22/8-…
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LGBT housing discrimination in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is no protections.

Current status
Since Oct 24, 1979
No protections
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran.
No protections exist.
Details
Sources:
Equaldex
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Same-sex adoption in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Same-sex adoption in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
No laws in place for same sex couples.
Details
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Intersex infant surgery in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Intersex infant surgery in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
There is no ban on surgeries performed on intersex infants in Iran.
Details
Sources:
database.ilga.org/iran-lgbti
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Serving openly in military in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Serving openly in military in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, therefore homosexuals serving openly would also be illegal.
Details
Sources:
Equaldex.
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Blood donations by MSMs in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran.
Details
Sources:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGB…
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Conversion therapy in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Conversion therapy in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Widely preformed.
Details
Sources:
hrw.org/video-photos/intera…
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Equal age of consent in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi

?

Equal age of consent in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi is n/a.

Current status
Since 1979
N/A
Homosexual sex is illegal. Also, sexual activity outside of marriage is illegal.
Details
Sources:
theguardian.com/world/iran-…
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Equality Index ?
5 / 100
Legal Rights
6 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi to help improve its accuracy.

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Common queries:
  • Is it illegal to be gay in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi?
  • Is homosexuality legal in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi?
  • Is gay marriage legal in Az¯arbayjan-e Sharqi?
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