Faced with rape threats, forced conversion therapy, and the necessity to flee their homeland, four queer individuals share their experiences with DW. “The Russian police threatened to have me raped in prison,” recounts 21-year-old Yusif Muradov. He had to flee Russia after authorities started cracking down on him for being openly queer. As of 2024, 64 countries in the world criminalize homosexuality. In at least 10 countries like Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Iran, consensual same-sex acts can even lead to the death penalty. In several other countries, like Russia and India, same-sex relations are legally permitted, nevertheless LGBTQ+ people are still persecuted — leading to a de-facto illegality.