ILGA-Europe calls for repeal of Uzbekistan’s anti-gay laws

European LGBTQ rights advocates and more than 40 human rights organizations have issued issued a joint statement calling on the government of Uzbekistan to repeal its laws criminalizing same-sex relations between men as part of its broader review of the nation’s Criminal Code.

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Image from ILGA-Europe‘s social media campaign calling on the President of Uzbekistan to decriminalize same-sex relations. (Photo courtesy of ILGA-Europe)

Human rights advocates had hoped that Article 120, which penalizes “bezakalbazlyk” (sodomy), would be stricken as the government reviewed the existing Criminal Code.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

However, the draft new Criminal Code released for public discussion maintains the provision, albeit renumbered as Article 154 under Chapter V, “Crimes against family, children and morality.”

ILGA-Europe (the International Lesbian and Gay Association-Europe) began a social media campaign using the hashtag #Repeal154, calling on Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the government of Uzbekistan to decriminalize same-sex conduct between men.

ILGA-Europe says it expects that the new Criminal Code will be passed and sent to Mirziyoyev for signature by April 1.

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Other organizations that have signed the joint statement include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights – Russia.

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