Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Libya face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Since the fall of
Gaddafi regime in 2011, the status regarding homosexuality in Libya remains unchanged.
Legality of same-sex sexual activity
Criminal laws
The country's
criminal code
A criminal code (or penal code) is a document that compiles all, or a significant amount of a particular jurisdiction's criminal law. Typically a criminal code will contain offences that are recognised in the jurisdiction, penalties that might ...
prohibits all sexual activity outside of a lawful marriage. Under Article 407(4) of the Penal Code (1953), private homosexual acts between consenting adults are illegal.
[ILGA]
_report_''State-Sponsored_Homophobia''_(2020).html" ;"title="ILGA"> ILGA">ILGA
_report_''State-Sponsored_Homophobia''_(2020)"Article_407(4)_of_the_Penal_Code_(1953)_as_amended_in_1976,_states_that_consensual_"illicit_sex"_carries_a_potential_punishment_of_up_to_5_years."_p._118
In_the_1990s,_the_General_People's_Congress_(Libya).html" ;"title="ILGA
report ''State-Sponsored Homophobia'' (2020)">ILGA">
In_the_1990s,_the_General_People's_Congress_(Libya)">General_People's_Congress_began_to_approve_"purification"_laws_designed_to_enforce_a_harsh_view_of_
_report_''State-Sponsored_Homophobia''_(2020)"Article_407(4)_of_the_Penal_Code_(1953)_as_amended_in_1976,_states_that_consensual_"illicit_sex"_carries_a_potential_punishment_of_up_to_5_years."_p._118
In_the_1990s,_the_General_People's_Congress_(Libya)">General_People's_Congress_began_to_approve_"purification"_laws_designed_to_enforce_a_harsh_view_of_Sharia">Islamic_law
_
Sharia_(;__ar,_شريعة,_sharīʿa_)_is_a_body_of__religious_law_that_forms_a_part_of_the_Islamic_tradition._It_is_derived_from_the__religious_precepts_of_Islam_and_is_based_on_the__sacred_scriptures_of_Islam,_particularly_the_Quran_and_the__...
_on_the_population._Libyan_courts_were_given_the_power_to_use_amputation,_
_report_''State-Sponsored_Homophobia''_(2020)"Article_407(4)_of_the_Penal_Code_(1953)_as_amended_in_1976,_states_that_consensual_"illicit_sex"_carries_a_potential_punishment_of_up_to_5_years."_p._118
In_the_1990s,_the_General_People's_Congress_(Libya)">General_People's_Congress_began_to_approve_"purification"_laws_designed_to_enforce_a_harsh_view_of_Sharia">Islamic_law
_
Sharia_(;__ar,_شريعة,_sharīʿa_)_is_a_body_of__religious_law_that_forms_a_part_of_the_Islamic_tradition._It_is_derived_from_the__religious_precepts_of_Islam_and_is_based_on_the__sacred_scriptures_of_Islam,_particularly_the_Quran_and_the__...
_on_the_population._Libyan_courts_were_given_the_power_to_use_amputation,_Flagellation">flogging
_
Flagellation__(Latin_,_'whip'),_flogging_or_whipping_is_the_act_of_beating_the_human_body_with_special_implements_such_as_whips,__rods,__switches,_the_cat_o'_nine_tails,_the__sjambok,_the_knout,_etc._Typically,_flogging_has_been_imposed_on__...
_and_other_punishments_against_persons_found_to_be_violating_traditional_Islamic_morality.
In_2010,_the_''Gay_Middle_East''_blog_reported_that_two_adult_men_had_been_charged_with_"indecent_acts",_which_meant_cross-dressing_and_homosexual_conduct.
Female_homosexuality_would_also_appear_to_be_illegal,_as_is_making_any_sort_of_public_acknowledgment_that_a_person_is_gay.__In_2010_a_
_on_the_population._Libyan_courts_were_given_the_power_to_use_amputation,_Flagellation">flogging