A gay refugee Khaleed from Libya has said “the issue of the many armed militias is one of the most urgent facing Libya’s new provisional government… this is also the biggest issue gay Libya.  The second is building civil society, law and order and stabilizing the economy’, which does not appear to be happening any time soon. Random, erratic justice is not a stabilized society.”

That was in 2012. Five years later the war goes on and life for gays is more hidden and dangerous. The quoted activist said then “there are disputes here between those who favor a secular and liberal Libya versus Islamists and traditionalists” who favor Sharia law which means death to gays. “When there is talk about a secular and liberal democratic state in Libya the Islamists use fear tactics: ‘Oh look they want to allow gay marriage in Libya!’ This is a huge taboo in my country and I hope political debate becomes sensible and less homophobic.”

“There are absolutely no groups, organizations or even individuals in Libya that speak publicly about gay rights, the subject itself is a social and religious curse,’ Khaleed said. “We are not asking for the moon: all we want for now is respect of our privacy, and to have laws that do not incriminate us for our sexual orientation.”

 

Only a few reports have managed to come out of Libya regarding LGBT people:

1- (2012)  http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/02/libya-gay-men-speak-out-about-abductions-and-beatings-by-islamic-militia/

2-  (2012) http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/my-life-gay-man-post-gaddafi-libya-0/#gs._RGXJHU

3- (2015)  https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/situation-homosexuals-libya-getting-worse

4- n(2015)  http://pamelageller.com/2015/05/islamic-state-in-libya-shoots-three-accused-homosexuals-in-the-head.html/

5- (2016)  http://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/05/10/libyan-lgbt-activist-hopes-to-leave-benghazi/

Also see: https://www.globalgayz.com/travel-issues/religion-travel-issues/islam/

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