Miral Bioredda, a secular leader of the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, said 'Personally I see homosexuality as a private matter. Mahmoud Hassino, a gay Syrian opposition activist and journalist who started the online magazine Mawaleh, notes that regardless of the outcome of the civil war, work needs to be done in the civil right area on behalf of all Syrians, not just the LGBT community. In territories controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-a rebel group which controls around 7% of Syria-LGBT Syrians are arrested, beaten, and executed. Article 520 of the penal code of 1949, prohibits 'carnal relations against the order of nature', and provides for up to three years' imprisonment. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Syrian Arab Republic face legal challenges not experienced by non- LGBT residents. Up to 3 years (Law is de facto suspended)
