Saudi Arabia proposes death penalty for homosexuals

by Austin Stallings
Journalism Intern

Citing a threat to the “social fabric” of the nation, the Saudi Arabian judiciary is proposing the death penalty for men found guilty of engaging in or soliciting homosexual activity as well as “men’s attempts to look like women.”

Describing homosexuals as “perverts”, officials have also noted the use of social media as having a detrimental effect on their citizens. They note the recent appearance of the hashtag #I_am_gay_will_not_be_deterred as proof of the potential upheaval this devout Muslim nation could face if stronger measures are not adopted.

“It has nothing to do with freedom, it’s breaching the laws of Allah,” wrote one commenter on Twitter. “When a man has sex with another man, God is trembling.”

Combating homosexuality remains one of the major goals of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), along with its campaign against consumption of alcohol and the practice of magic.

The proposed measurement should not come as a surprise, Saudi Arabia is an extremely conservative country known for their strict rules regarding women, and non-Islamic religions.

The recent proposal is just another example of the dangerous conditions the LGBT community faces abroad.

The Gayly 3/31/2016 @ 5:15 p.m. CDT