Survey: Azerbaijan is worst place to be gay in Europe
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 11 May 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Survey: Azerbaijan is worst place to be gay in Europe, 11 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576900e6e.html [accessed 25 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 11, 2016
By RFE/RL
Azerbaijan has been ranked the worst place to live in Europe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) citizens, after meeting only 5 percent of a leading rights organization's criteria for legal equality.
The ILGA-Europe Rainbow Index, released on May 10, ranks 49 European countries according to the laws, policies, and practices that affect LGBTI communities.
The countries with the three lowest scores are all post-Soviet: Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan. The countries leading the index – Malta, Belgium, and the United Kingdom – all scored above 80 percent.
Although homosexuality is legal in Azerbaijan, the 2016 index draws attention to the country's failure to protect its LGBTI community from hate crime and discrimination.
The index attributes Azerbaijan's low score to the high number of homophobic and transphobic violent attacks, as well as discriminatory remarks made by political figures.
With reporting by The Guardian
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
