SUDAN
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- Country Background, Politics & Law
- Human Rights Issues
- Security, Humanitarian Issues and Protection Related Issues
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Human Rights Issues
Source:
Homosexual activity illegal; according to British Embassy no reports of persecution by security forces [ID 12634]
"5.72 Under the 1991 Criminal Act, homosexual activity is illegal in Sudan. A first time offence of buggery carries a penalty of up to five years imprisonment and fifty lashes; the same again for a second offence and for a third offence the death penalty or a sentence of life imprisonment is applied. There are no specific penalties that apply to lesbians. Homosexual activity is known to go on in Sudanese society but not openly. According to information obtained from the British Embassy in Khartoum in 2001, there have been no reports to indicate that the security forces persecute known homosexuals [25b]."
06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State
Homosexuality is crime, but no one has been prosecuted on charge in 2006 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19857]
"Homosexuality is a crime, but no one has been prosecuted on the charge; there is societal but not official discrimination against homosexuals."
Document(s):
Open document
20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation
Homosexuals face prosecution for sodomy ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770], [ID 19045]
"Homosexuals face persecution in Sudan. The Criminal Code is very strict on this matter. The concept of homosexuality is a bit different than in Europe; it is about sodomy. It is the act which is punishable, not the orientation. In the traditional concept, homosexuality doesn’t exist, just like it didn’t exist in Europe until not so long ago.
Unmarried perpetrators would first be sentenced to 80 lashes, the second time to imprisonment, the third time to death. If the perpetrators are married, sodomy carries the death sentence. However, it is difficult to find information on the implementation, on how many people were actually sentenced or punished for sodomy.
Whereas many societies have traditional niches for homosexuals, no societal niches exist in Sudan, with the exception of the wedding cooks. The accusation of being homosexual is sometimes used to blackmail somebody or to smear political opponents. Basically, homosexuality is not tolerated."
Document(s):
Open document
08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State
Although homosexuality is a crime, no one has been prosecuted on the charge ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46041], [ID 12632]
"Homosexuality is a crime, but no one has been prosecuted on the charge; there is societal but not official discrimination against homosexuals."
Document(s):
Open document
04.2004 - Source: UK Home Office
Country Report - April 2004 ("Country Report - April 2004") [#22442], [ID 12633]
"Homosexuals
6.166 According to a letter dated 23 January 2001 from the British Embassy in Khartoum, "The 1991 Criminal Code, proscribes penetrative sexual intercourse between two men or between a man and a woman anally". [25b] (p 1) A first time offence carried a penalty of up to five years imprisonment and fifty lashes; the same again for a second offence and for a third offence the death penalty or a sentence of life imprisonment is applied."
Document(s):
Open document
