Violation of LGBTI Rights in Crimea and Donbass : the Problem of Homophobia in territories beyond Ukraine's Control, Human Rights report

Dozens of witnesses to the events of recent years in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine were interviewed for this report. Many of them spoke about the persecution of sexual and gender minorities, the prevailing atmosphere of fear, lack of openness, and uncertainty, and the impossibility of coming out even to close friends or of trusting the LGBTI community. In this war-torn region, people?s lives are in constant danger, and this danger is multiplied many times over for members of the LGBTI community due to the open homophobia exhibited by armed people, orders and rules issued by members of the local ?government,? and the influence of Russian laws restricting minority rights and banning ?gay propaganda.? This report analyzes both Ukrainian laws and Russian laws (which have been introduced de-facto in occupied Ukraine) regarding family, labor, and other minority rights, as well as recent ?legislative acts? promulgated in the self-proclaimed DNR and LNR.