Places where it is illegal to fly the Pride flag, ChatGTP response, 1 August 2024

In several countries around the world, it is illegal to fly the Pride flag due to restrictive laws against LGBTQ+ expressions and rights. Here are some examples:

1. **Russia**: Known for its strict anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda laws, Russia prohibits the display of LGBTQ+ symbols, including the Pride flag, in public spaces to prevent the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relationships" among minors. This was reported by various human rights organizations and news outlets.

2. **Saudi Arabia**: In Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is punishable by death, the display of the Pride flag is strictly prohibited. Saudi law is based on Sharia, which imposes severe penalties for LGBTQ+ individuals and related activities.

3. **United Arab Emirates (UAE)**: Although there have been instances where the Pride flag was flown at U.S. embassies, local laws in the UAE prohibit public expressions of LGBTQ+ identities. Reports from human rights organizations and news articles confirm that LGBTQ+ rights are severely restricted in the UAE.

4. **Iran**: Iran enforces severe penalties against LGBTQ+ individuals, including execution, and does not allow the display of LGBTQ+ symbols like the Pride flag. This is supported by numerous reports from international human rights organizations.

5. **Uganda**: Known for its harsh stance on LGBTQ+ rights, Uganda bans all forms of LGBTQ+ expression, including the flying of the Pride flag. Uganda's anti-homosexuality laws have been widely covered by international media and human rights organizations.

6. **Nigeria**: In Nigeria, laws criminalize same-sex relationships and prohibit the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities, including the display of the Pride flag. Nigeria's Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, which was enacted in 2014, imposes strict penalties on LGBTQ+ individuals and activities.

Additionally, in 2024, a provision in a U.S. spending bill signed into law restricted the flying of Pride flags over U.S. embassies. This provision does not ban other displays of the Pride flag on embassy grounds but limits which flags can be flown over U.S. Department of State facilities (VerifyThis.com; LGBTQ Nation).

These restrictions reflect broader policies and societal attitudes in these countries that limit or criminalize LGBTQ+ rights and expressions.