A new Outright International report, Killed for Who They Are: Extrajudicial Executions and Targeted Killings of LGBTIQ People, examines targeted anti-LGBTIQ killings across different regions, highlighting how prejudice, discrimination, weak legal protections and failures in accountability continue to put queer lives at risk.
Released on 27 October, it documents 233 killings of LGBTIQ people between January 2020 and July 2026 and shows how states commit, enable, or ignore these murders.
During an online discussion on the report, representatives from Outright International, Colombia Diversa and South Africa’s Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) reflected on the findings and the urgent need to turn evidence into action.
The global picture: A crisis hidden by underreporting
Ohotuowo Ogbeche of Outright International explained that documenting these killings remains difficult, particularly in countries where LGBTIQ people are criminalised, stigmatised or forced to conceal their identities.
“We will never know the exact number of people killed because they are queer,” Ogbeche said, pointing to the challenges of collecting reliable information and the likelihood that many cases go unreported or are not recognised as targeted killings.
The report documented victims ranging in age from 12 to 77, including at least 18 children. It also highlighted the lack of visibility of intersex victims, with only two killings documented, in Colombia and Kenya. The report cautions that this does not mean intersex people are not experiencing violence, but rather reflects serious gaps in recognition, reporting and data collection.
The legal environment also contributes to the problem. According to the report, 65 United Nations member states criminalise consensual same-sex relations, while legal protections against hate crimes based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics remain limited across the world.
While executions are rare, eight countries also legally prescribe the death penalty for consensual same-sex conduct: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Mauritania, Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Yemen.
For Ogbeche, however, the findings should not leave communities feeling powerless.
“We are not helpless, we are not hopeless. You can do something, and we have been doing things,” she said, emphasising the importance of continued advocacy, community organising and holding governments accountable.
South Africa: Rights on paper, violence in reality
South Africa has one of the continent’s most progressive constitutional frameworks for LGBTIQ rights. It is also the only country in sub-Saharan Africa whose Constitution explicitly protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
However, these protections have not translated into safety for everyone.
The report documents 36 targeted killings of queer people in South Africa since 2020, including three children. It also notes that at least 14 queer people have been murdered in suspected hate crimes just since 2024.
Among the cases highlighted are the murders of lesbian women, transgender people and gay men, including Imam Muhsin Hendricks, who was killed in February 2025 after reportedly receiving death threats. At the time of the report, no arrests had been made in his murder.
Jade Madingwane of FEW said South Africa’s experience demonstrates the difference between having progressive laws and ensuring that people can exercise their rights in everyday life.
“Having rights written in the constitution did not automatically mean that we could live those rights safely,” Madingwane said.
She also stressed that legislation must be supported by practical measures, resources and accountability.
“You can’t just have laws and policies and not have an implementation plan or a budget for that,” she said.
South Africa’s Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act, passed in 2024, represents an important legislative development. However, the challenge remains ensuring that institutions have the capacity, training and resources to respond effectively to hate crimes and protect vulnerable communities.
Why documenting these killings matters
For Maria Clara of Colombia Diversa, the problem of underreporting is closely linked to the way states recognise, classify and respond to violence against LGBTIQ people.
Colombia Diversa has documented more than 2,346 homicides of LGBTIQ people in Colombia between 2006 and 2025, demonstrating the scale of violence and the importance of sustained monitoring.
Clara warned that when identities and experiences are not properly recorded, they risk being excluded from government responses.
“What is not named, what is not measured, what is not measured correctly, specifically in practical terms, is excluded from the scope of the state intervention,” she said.
Accurate data is therefore not simply a matter of statistics. It can help identify patterns, expose institutional failures, support investigations and strengthen demands for justice.
“Counting is more than recording deaths. It’s about affirming that this life matters, that the erasure has consequences and that evidence can become a foundation for justice,” Clara added.
From documentation to accountability
The report calls on governments to decriminalise consensual same-sex relations, introduce and enforce hate crime protections, improve investigations and prosecutions, and ensure that victims and their families can access justice and support.
It also recommends better data collection, police reform, training and independent oversight to address the institutional failures that allow violence to continue.
For South Africa, the findings raise difficult questions about the distance between constitutional promises and the lived experiences of queer people. They also reinforce the need for properly resourced implementation, effective policing and accountability when violence occurs.
Ultimately, the report is a reminder that every documented killing represents a person whose life mattered, and that the absence of reliable data must never be mistaken for the absence of violence.
Outright International has launched a petition calling for countries to ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity are included in the UN General Assembly’s resolution condemning extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions. The UN votes on this resolution every two years, with the next vote being held in November. You can add your name to the petition here.
