Maldives

Under the penal code, Section 411(a2) of 2014 criminalizes anyone who engages in sexual intercourse with a person of the same sex. Depending on the offense, same-sex intimacy can be classified from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 3 felony, punished with six months to eight years of imprisonment and a potential additional penalty of 100 lashes. Section 412(c) outlaws “unlawful sexual contact” with a person of the same sex, which encompasses any act not included in Section 411(a2). Additionally, Section 410(a8) considers the union of two persons of the same sex as unlawful, classifying it as a Class 1 misdemeanor. 

Such laws have exacerbated LGBT-phobic attitudes in the Muslim-dominant society, also putting LGBTQ individuals at higher risks of blackmail, extortion, harassment, and political manipulation. In 2022, crackdowns on LGBTQ people, potentially aimed at appeasing extremist religious groups, not only led to the arrest of four men and the investigation of dozens of others but also demonstrated the “arbitrary nature of these discriminatory laws” and how they can be used as a political tool where those prosecuted end up paying a hefty price. LGBTIQ activists face challenges and obstacles in their work, as well as harassment and violence threats by extremist groups, especially on social media platforms.

*Outright research indicates that the bodily autonomy of intersex people is not respected and protected in this country.