Jordan's secret police accused of targeting LGBTQ+ community

Source: The Guardian

Jordan’s secret police accused of targeting LGBTQ+ community

Jordanian security services are abducting, harassing and ‘outing’ LGBTQ+ people, activists say, despite repeal of anti-gay laws

William Christou
Fri 18 Aug 2023 11.07 BST
First published on Fri 18 Aug 2023 06.00 BST

Jordanian secret police have been accused of intimidating gay people by “outing” them to their families and of forcing the closure of two LGBTQ+ organisations.

Human rights groups say activists have been abducted, harassed and monitored, as well as having their sexuality revealed to religiously conservative families.

Sources say the intimidation campaign has seen a recent increase in targeting of LGBTQ+ individuals and groups by Jordan’s General Intelligence Directorate’s (GID). In January two activists were allegedly detained by GID officers and had their bank accounts frozen.

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The intimidation is despite Jordan being one of very few Middle Eastern countries where same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, but there are no legal protections against homophobic discrimination and public opinion remains hostile to sexual minorities.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/aug/18/jordans-secret-police-accused-of-targeting-lgbtq-community

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