Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov has joined in with the chorus of gay-bashing sweeping the former Soviet Union by condemning same-sex relationships as a “vile phenomenon of Western culture.”



The tenor of the remarks should not come as altogether surprising since homosexual acts are illegal in Uzbekistan and are punishable by prison sentences of up to three years.



Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Uzbek service, Radio Ozodlik, reported on February 6 that Karimov made the comments during a council session of the people’s deputies of the Tashkent region.



“If a man lives with a man, or a woman with a women, I think that something there isn’t quite right, or some change has happened,” Karimov was quoted as saying.



It is unclear what motivated the president to make the comments.



Sexual minorities are among many social groups targeted for regular intimidation by authorities in Uzbekistan.



In a recent case, two police officers were fired after a video came to light showing them beating a transvestite in the Tashkent district of Chilanzar.



Ozodlik reported that the footage, which was circulated through the Telegram messaging program, shows the two police officers in civilian clothing bursting into a rented apartment and assaulting a young man dressed in women’s clothing and two of his male companions. The raid is said to have taken place following complaints from neighbors.



The incident reportedly occurred in August, but only gained exposure earlier this year. 



Uzbekistan is the only country in the former Soviet Union where male homosexuality is illegal, but legislation has been implemented in Russia and is being considered in Kyrgyzstan that aims to further ostracize the LGBT communities there.



Parliament in Kyrgyzstan is set to resume consideration this month of what has been dubbed the anti-LGBT propaganda bill. The legislation has passed two readings and will need one more approval before being sent to President Almazbek Atambayev for signing.



The law would ban what its supporters call the promotion among minors of non-traditional sexual relations or drawing an equivalence between same-sex and heterosexual relations. Anybody found in violation of the law could face prison sentence between six months and a year.