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ETHIOPIA

Male to Male relationships: Not Legal
Punishments for male to male relationships: Imprisonment of 10 years or more
Female to Female Relationships: Not Legal
Marriage and Substitutes for Marriage: No law

Your Views

Are you LGBTI? We want to hear from you! Help us inform other users of the site with your views on this country. Below is a random question about this country. If it is relevant to you please answer it.

Has your sexual orientation affected your job in ETHIOPIA? Do you feel limited in your career by your sexual orientation?
In too many ways to count (0 %) I changed careers because of my sexual orientation (0 %) I feel that I wasn’t promoted because I am lesbian or gay (0 %) My co-workers harass me because of my sexual orientation (0 %) I have not been limited by my sexual orientation, though I am out at work (0 %)

The ETHIOPIA country survey is populated by LGBTI groups who have acted as liaisons with ILGA to identify issues affecting the LGBTI community.

Organizations were asked to discuss 4 broad subjects: the law, the mood (the social climate), the LGBTI movement as well as what would be, according to them, the most pressing campaign in their country.

Please write to countryreport@ilga.org if you have comments regarding this page.

LAW
What are the laws and policies like for LGBTI people in your country?

Male to Male Relationships

Are male to male sexual relationships legal?
Not Legal

What is the name of this law? (if applicable - please give chapter and section)
The Criminal Code of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Proclamation No. 414/2004

Art. 629, 630, 106

What is the full text of this law?
Article 629.
Homosexual and other Indecent Acts.

“Whoever performs with another person of the same sex a homosexual act, or any other indecent act, is punishable with simple imprisonment.” 

Article 630.
General Aggravation to the Crime.

“(1) The punishment shall be simple imprisonment for not less than one year, or, in grave cases, rigorous imprisonment not exceeding ten years, where the criminal:
a) takes unfair advantage of the material or mental distress of another or of the authority he exercises over another by virtue of his position, office or capacity as guardian, tutor, protector, teacher, master or employer, or by virtue of any other like relationship, to cause such other person to perform or to submit to such an act; or b) makes a profession of such activities within the meaning of the law (Art. 92).

(2) The punishment shall be rigorous imprisonment from three years to fifteen years, where:
a) the criminal uses violence, intimidation or coercion, trickery or fraud, or takes unfair advantage of the victim's inability to offer resistance or to defend himself or of his feeble-mindedness or unconsciousness; or
b) the criminal subjects his victim to acts of cruelty or sadism, or transmits to him a venereal disease with which he knows himself to be infected; or
c) the victim is driven to suicide by distress, shame or despair.” 

Article 106.
Simple Imprisonment.

“(1) Simple imprisonment is a sentence applicable to crimes of a not very serious nature committed by persons who are not a serious danger to society. Without prejudice to conditional release, simple imprisonment may extend for a period of from ten days to three years.
However, simple imprisonment may extend up to five years where, owing to the gravity of the crime, it is prescribed in the Special Part of this Code, or where there are concurrent crimes punishable with simple imprisonment, or where the criminal has been punished repeatedly.
The Court shall fix the period of simple imprisonment in its judgment.

(2) The sentence of simple imprisonment shall be served in such prison or in such section thereof as is appointed for the purpose.”

What are the punishments?
Imprisonment of 10 years or more

Female to Female Relationships

Are female to female sexual relations legal?
Not Legal

Age of Consent

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Freedom of association, of expression

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Marriage and Substitutes for Marriage

What types of same sex partnerships are recognized?
No law

LGBTI Families/Parenting

Can same sex couples adopt children together?
No

Anti-discrimination laws

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Armed forces

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Asylum and Immigration

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Blood donation

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Gender identity

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

HIV/AIDS

Unfortunately this part of the law questionnaire is currently empty. If you are a group and want to update this please contact countryreport@ilga.org.

Information contributed by last modified 26/03/2009
This part of the country profile has been originally written in English, it would be helpful if you can speak one of our other languages to help maintain the translated versions of this document. To French To Spanish To Portuguese
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