Penalty: Capital punishment | Discrimination protections None | |
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Same-sex sexual activity legal? Illegal: Islamic Sharia Law is applied Recognition of
relationships No recognition of same-sex relationships | ||
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Mauritania face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Mauritania. Muslim men who have sex with men face stoning to death, whereas women who have sex with women face prison.
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Law regarding same-sex sexual activity
Shari'a law applies in Mauritania.
According to an unofficial English translation of Article 308 of the 1983 Criminal Code, "Any adult Muslim man who commits an impudent or unnatural with an individual of his sex will face the penalty of death by public stoning." The official text of Article 308 in French provides, "Tout musulman majeur qui aura commis un acte impudique ou contre nature avec un individu de son sexe sera puni de peine de mort par lapidation publique."
Living conditions
The U.S. Department of State's 2011 human rights report found that, "There were no criminal prosecutions during the year. There was no evidence of societal violence, societal discrimination, or systematic government discrimination based on sexual orientation. There were no organizations advocating for sexual orientation or gender-identity rights, but there were no legal impediments to the operation of such groups."