Council of Europe: PACE calls for decriminalisation of same-sex relations in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan

On 1 October, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) issued a written declaration on the decriminalisation of same-sex relations in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. ILGA-Europe call upon the European Union and the Council of Europe to ensure that decriminalisation of same-sex relations is a cornerstone of partnership and cooperation with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. In Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, voluntary sexual relations between two men are punishable by imprisonment under their Criminal Codes. Due to the widespread failure to understand the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity among the general public and law enforcement, this law negatively impacts all of the LGBT community in both countries. Read the written declaration of the PACE.