- 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
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.
Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Syria by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.
Suggest Public Opinion DataHistory
Homosexual activity in Syria is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
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 is banned.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Syria is state-enforced.
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to appoint or remove board members, disallow political participation, foreign funding, and allow the registration to be rescinded at will.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.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Syria is not legally recognized.
LGBT discrimination in Syria is no protections.
LGBT employment discrimination in Syria is no protections.
LGBT housing discrimination in Syria is no protections.
Same-sex adoption in Syria is single only.
Serving openly in military in Syria is don't ask, don't tell.
Blood donations by MSMs in Syria is banned (indefinite deferral).
Conversion therapy in Syria is not banned.
Equal age of consent in Syria is n/a.
LGBT Rights by Province
View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Syria.