LGBTQ rights in the United Arab Emirates
LGBTQ rights in United Arab Emirates | |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Illegal: Sharia law applied |
| Penalty | Maximum: Death penalty Minimum: Lashings, imprisonment and fines |
| Gender identity | No |
| Military | No |
| Discrimination protections | None |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | No recognition of same-sex relationships |
| Adoption | No |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the United Arab Emirates face discrimination and legal challenges. Homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and under the federal criminal provisions, consensual same-sex sexual activity is punishable by death; extra-marital sexual activity between persons of different sexes is also illegal. The penalty is a minimum of six months imprisonment; no maximum penalty is prescribed, and the court has full discretion to impose any sentence in accordance with the country's constitution.
While there have been no known arrests or prosecutions for same-sex sexual activity in the UAE since at least 2015 (as of 2022), with no upper limit to penalties codified, capital punishment is an outcome for participants.
Additionally, individuals have been prosecuted for offences related to sexual and gender identity under public decency laws, for acts such as kissing in public, or for cross-dressing.