15. The Russian Federation
If you wish to see the Red Square or visit Russia, you should take extra precautions if you are gay or travelling with a gay friend. Homosexual activity was decriminalized in Russia in 1993 but in 2013, the President Vladimir Putin passed a series of laws limiting gay rights. Outside of predominantly Muslim countries and some parts of Africa and Asia, Russian Federation is amongst most hostile countries towards LGBT population. Pew Research Center survey found that 74% of Russians answered negatively to the question: Should society accept homosexuality? This is the largest percentage of negative responses in Europe, followed by Poland where 46% answered negatively. Same-sex marriages are illegal and propaganda promoting LGBT rights is forbidden and punishable by law. The worst situation regarding LGBT rights in Russia is in Chechnya, a federal subdivision of Russia. The Independent published an article about a group of 100 men suspected of being gay, who were detained and tortured. When a group of LGBT supporters in Moscow organized protests in regards to these events, they were also beaten. Moral of the story: Definitely not a safe country for LGBT community.
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