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Former Soviet Republic Bans Marriage Equality As Violence Against LGBT Community Increases

We're done with you, Kyrgyzstan.

Voters in Kyrgyzstan have elected to ban same-sex marriage as violence against the country's LGBT community continues to escalate.

The measure was among some 26 proposals included on the ballot of a national constitutional referendum held December 11 in the former Soviet Republic. Voters were asked to approve the measures with a "yes or no" vote.

Following the election, the Central Election Commission announced 80% of voters approved the amendments with 42% of the population turning up at the polls.

Kyrgyzstan Tourism Development Framework

Traditionally, same-sex marriage and homosexuality in general don't have much support among most Kyrgyz as religious clerics in the predominantly Muslim country routinely condemn both as toxic Western values.

Experts believe the ban on same-sex marriage is just the first of several anti-LGBT measures to be put up to a public vote. Bills focused on toughening punishments for people engaging in a "homosexual way of life" and other "nontraditional sexual relations" are currently working their way through parliament.

Violence against the country's LGBT community has greatly increased over the past year, ever since parliament introduced a bill that would make anti-LGBT discrimination legal. Though the measure didn't pass, it emboldened many homophobic citizens.

“In effect,” investigative reporter Andrew North wrote, “the proposed legislation created a fake issue. It [gave people the] permission to exterminate...and so legitimized attacks on the gay community.”

For more on this, check out the video below.

h/t: Radio Free Europe

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