United Arab Emirates

LGBTI Freedom of Artistic Expression

Freemuse operates within an international human rights and legal framework which upholds the principles of accountability, participation, equality, non-discrimination and cultural diversity. We document violations of artistic freedom and leverage evidence-based advocacy at international, regional and national levels for better protection of all people, including those at risk.

The 2010’s – a Major Decade for The LGBTQ Community

We’ve come a long way in the last 10 years. We’ve made a lot of progress but we’ve also lost some ground internationally when it comes to LGBTQ rights. Here is a review of the last decade.

Human Rights Watch Country Profiles: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

The following country profiles are derived in part from sections of the Human Rights Watch 2019 World Report that relate to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Acceptance of LGBT people and rights has increased around the world

New Global Acceptance Index ranks 141 countries on LGBT acceptance and legal protections and provides a link between inclusion and GDP per capita. 

The question of the death penalty

The resolution condemns the imposition of the death penalty as a sanction for specific forms of conduct

16 ‘Pro-LGBT’ businesses that operate in countries with poor human rights records

Big corporations have come out to criticize state religious liberty measures in Georgia, Mississippi, and North Carolina as discriminating against those who aren’t heterosexual, some going as far as to propose boycotting states that enact such laws.

Gay wrestler Darren Young slams WWE tour of United Arab Emirates

Darren Young has criticized the WWE for its three-day tour of the United Arab Emirates, where gay sex is illegal. WWE decided not to take the openly gay wrestler to Abu Dhabi for his own safety.


‘Why do we bring the best entertainment into a country [sic] like Abu Dhabi and they look down upon women and gays? I get it! #MillionsofDollars,’ he tweeted on Tuesday (10 February) night.

Within minutes, Young deleted the tweets, seemingly at the behest of WWE, and replaced them with the following posts: ‘My freedom of speech is gone. Gone but not forgotten.

Debates at Davos Get Around to Gay Rights

This year, for the first time, the World Economic Forum is addressing the issue of gay and lesbian rights on the formal agenda for Davos...