Comoros

In Comoros, same-sex intimacy is criminalized under Article 300 of the penal code (2020), which punishes “​​any act of a sexual nature that is contrary to public decency or against nature” with six months to two years in prison and a fine of 100,000 to 300,000 francs [US$240-720]. LGBTIQ people in Comoros are not protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics. Trans people are not allowed to change their legal gender markers, while intersex infants and children are not protected from nonconsensual medical interventions seeking to “normalize” their bodies.

In 2022, a video of two men engaging in same-sex sexual acts leaked on social media, allegedly leading to the first imprisonment for same-sex intimacy in the country. In June 2024, for the first time, two women were arrested and detained for same-sex intimacy after reportedly asking an Islamic preacher to marry them. In December 2024, the couple was convicted, sentenced to time served, and released from prison. The government has repeatedly refused to adopt recommendations by UN bodies and other states to decriminalize same-sex conduct and to protect LGBTIQ people from discrimination.

There are no known LGBTIQ organizations in the country. While LGBTIQ organizing is not explicitly outlawed, the criminalization of same-sex intimacy poses barriers for LGBTIQ groups to register. In addition, Article 5 of Law No. 86-006/AF (1986) prohibits the establishment of associations founded on an “unlawful cause or for an unlawful purpose, contrary to the law or public morals,” a restriction which could be misused against LGBTIQ groups.

There is a dearth of information on LGBTIQ people’s lived realities in the country, but available reports indicate that some LGBTIQ people in Comoros are rejected by or excluded from their families, neighborhoods, or villages. A U.S. State Department report found that sexual and gender minorities in the country “generally did not publicly reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity due to societal pressure.” In a 2023 survey, only 26 percent of people surveyed in Comoros believed that their area of residence was a good place to live for gay or lesbian people.