LGBTQ+ migration is the movement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer (LGBTQ) people around the world & domestically, often to escape discrimination or ill treatment due to their sexuality. Globally, many LGBTQ people attempt to leave discriminatory regions in search of more tolerant ones. As a refugee is defined as a displaced person who is “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country”, there are many LGBTQ refugees, who are persecuted due to their sexuality or gender orientation & are unable to find protection from their home nation.
For example, many African countries still punish homosexuality with the death sentence, like Mauritania, Sudan & northern Nigeria, where lesbians and gays are sometimes stoned to death. Institutional sexual persecution is also rampant in Cameroon, Burundi, Uganda & Gambia. Zimbabwe banned homosexual acts in 1995. In Uganda “touching a person with homosexual intent” results in a life sentence in prison, and actions that are perceived to promote homosexuality carry a seven-year sentence – these actions include advocating for gay human rights, belonging to a gay organization & advocating for safe homosexual sex. There is also no legal protection against discrimination in Nigeria & only a very few LGBTQ persons are open about their orientation, & violence against LGBTQ people is frequent.
In Baghdad in 2009 a characteristic assortment of anti-gay crimes were committed. The Iraqi militia began torturing male homosexuals in ways that usually resulted in death. The Iraqi LGBTQ group suffered 63 cases of torture within its members. Murders of LGBTQ people were called for by anonymous individuals.
In Iran a voluntary militia, the Basij, functions partially as a "morality police." Among other things, the Basij has been known to find and persecute LGBTQ people.
Under the influence of the Taliban, men accused of sodomy were sometimes killed in Afghanistan by having a wall toppled over them. After the fall of the Taliban, homosexuality became punishable by fines and prison sentences.
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