News of ECOM
June 15, 2026
Statement. On increased application of Article 120 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan
The undersigned organizations express serious concerns over the continued and intensified enforcement of Article 120 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (hereinafter Article 120) that criminalises consensual sexual relations between...
May 25, 2026
Between Law and Reality: Regional Report on LGBT Rights Violations in 2025
ECOM has published a new regional report, Between Law and Reality, an annual analysis of rights violations against LGBT people in seven countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Armenia,...
April 27, 2026
ECOM Statement on the Court Decision in the Case of Zhanar Sekerbayeva
On April 23, the Astana court issued a verdict against LGBTQI activist Zhanar Sekerbayeva, finding her guilty of assault against a group of homophobic individuals who had themselves attacked her....
December 18, 2025
ECOM Statement on the Draft Law on so-called “LGBT Propaganda” in Kazakhstan
Today, ECOM expresses deep concern and draws attention to the potentially negative consequences following the decision of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan to adopt amendments aimed at so-called...
December 12, 2025
Rights, Health, Equality: ECOM’s Advocacy Results in 2025
In 2025, ECOM, together with national partners, played a key role in advancing the visibility and protection of LGBT communities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia within the United Nations...
December 10, 2025
For LGBT people, Human Rights Day Holds Special Significance
This column by the ECOM Legal Team is dedicated to Human Rights Day and is based on monitoring the human rights situation of LGBT people in Eastern Europe and Central...
November 12, 2025
Kazakhstan: Reject ‘LGBT Propaganda’ Legal Proposals
Parliamentary Vote on Draft Amendments Imminent (Berlin, November 11, 2025) – Lawmakers in Kazakhstan should reject a draft law with amendments that would ban “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation,” seven...
November 11, 2025
ECOM Position: On the unacceptability of introducing a ban on so-called “LGBT Propaganda” in Kazakhstan
This statement has been prepared in response to the advancement of legislative initiatives in the Republic of Kazakhstan aimed at introducing administrative liability for so-called “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation.”...
September 10, 2025
ECOM’s Position: Amendments to the Laws on Mandatory HIV Testing in the Republic of Uzbekistan
On August 1, 2025, the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan (the upper house of parliament) adopted amendments to a number of laws (the Law on HIV/AIDS, the Law on...
December 10, 2024
Fake Dates, Rape, and Extortion: How LGBT Rights Were Violated in EECA Countries in 2024
“In Kazakhstan, a man reported a rape to the police, but the law enforcement officers mocked him and refused to investigate. They also didn’t return his ID they had confiscated...
