Homosexuality
    ✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
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Public Opinion

Recent studies in Syria indicate societal resistance to LGBTQ+ rights, but please note that is based on a small number of surveys available in Syria.

Syria is lacking public opinion data.

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History

Homosexual activity in Syria

?

Homosexual activity in Syria is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).

Current status
Since 1949
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Article 520 of the Penal Code (1949) criminalizes “unnatural sexual intercourse.” Potential imprisonment of up to 3 years. Not enforced by regime.

In 2003 Syria, at the UN Commission on Human Rights, voted to postpone a draft UN resolution on human rights and sexual orientation. The vote was 24 to 17. The draft resolution was to bring the Commission to express its deep concern at the occurrence of human rights violations worldwide against people on the basis of their sexual orientation; Stress that human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birthright of all human beings and that the universal character of these rights and freedoms is indisputable; and call on all States to promote and protect the fundamental rights of all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Same-sex marriage in Syria

?

Same-sex marriage in Syria is banned.

Current status
Since 1949
Banned
Same-sex marriage or civil unions are not legal

Censorship of LGBT issues in Syria

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Censorship of LGBT issues in Syria is state-enforced.

Current status
Since 1949
State-enforced
Article 208 of the Penal Code (1949) prohibits "offensive public utterances" in writing, graphics, images, and other forms of expression.
Before the civil war, it was reported that films with LGBT content were censored. In June 2022, it was reported that Syria's Directorate of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection confiscated around 600 rainbow kites as their designs were similar to the pride flag and therefore "indicating homosexuality".
Various articles of Law No. 93 (1958) allow the Ministry to appoint or remove board members, disallow political participation, foreign funding, and allow the registration to be rescinded at will. Further, Article 35 allows any Board decision to be suspended “if it deems it to be against the law, the public order or morals”.
This legal framework appears to pose severe barriers to the formal registration and the operation of an organisation working on sexual and gender diversity issues.

Right to change legal gender in Syria

?

Right to change legal gender in Syria is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2004
Legal, but requires surgery
In 2004, a Syrian woman named Hiba became the first transgender woman to be licensed for sex reassignment surgery
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Gender-affirming care in Syria

?

Gender-affirming care in Syria is legal.

Current status
Since 1998
Legal
In 1998, Syria adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Syria

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Syria is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Not recognised
Sources:
database.ilga.org/syria-lgbti
Recognition mentioned nowhere, no reports of successful NB recognition/Reputable source needed!
aljazeera.com/opinions/2017…
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LGBT discrimination in Syria

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LGBT discrimination in Syria is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no legal protections in place.

LGBT employment discrimination in Syria

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LGBT employment discrimination in Syria is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no legal protections in place.

LGBT housing discrimination in Syria

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Syria is no protections.

Current status
Since Apr 25, 1964
No protections
In Syria, there are currently no laws in place to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal.
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Same-sex adoption in Syria

?

Same-sex adoption in Syria is single only.

Current status
Single only
Same-sex couples in Syria do not have the legal right to adopt jointly or through second parent adoption but no laws particularly against it

Intersex infant surgery in Syria

?

Intersex infant surgery in Syria is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Syria

?

Serving openly in military in Syria is don't ask, don't tell.

Current status
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Homosexuality is illegal in Syria, but no laws specify homosexuality as a dishonorable discharge or prohibition from military service.
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Blood donations by MSMs in Syria

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Syria is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Homosexuality is illegal in Syria
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Conversion therapy in Syria

?

Conversion therapy in Syria is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not Banned .
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Syria

?

Equal age of consent in Syria is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Consensual same-sex sexual acts are illegal


LGBT Rights by Province

View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Syria.