But the arrival of Islamic fundamentalist factions such as the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) has radically intensified persecution across the country, pushing some Syrians to join the stream of refugees headed to Europe in search of sexual freedom and expression as well as safety.

“The Islamic State executes homosexuals by throwing them from the tops of high buildings,” said Logal Kako, a 21-year-old Syrian man who’s been openly gay since he was in high school.

On December 2 last year, a religious "court" run by ISIS sentenced two homosexual men to death by throwing them from the roof of a nearby building. Videos posted online by ISIS document countless instances of similar incidents. In many areas in Syria these days, these sights have become commonplace.

For Logal, the intolerance started when, aged 14, he stood in the middle of his high-school classroom in Tartous and told his classmates he liked boys – a nerve-racking move for any high schooler. His classmates were divided on the matter, and while some accepted him, most others showed hostility.

“Facing a society governed by strict religious and social conventions was extremely hard. I lost many friends – some because they themselves could not accept me, and others because their families prevented them from being around me. Maybe they worried that I would sexually harass their kids,” he said laughing.

“Most of the kids at my school just didn’t want to play with me at recess.”

Logal, who has been in Sweden for over a year, said he can't imagine how frightening life must be back home now. And although he misses his friends in Syria, returning is out of the question. “I feel normal here. If someone harasses me, the law protects me. In Syria I never felt protected. I was even too scared to go to the police,” he said.

“I’ve always been critical of sexual and social conventions in Syria,” Logal said. Growing up, he’d been constantly teased by neighbors and classmates for being different. Kids called him names, and made fun of the way he dressed. Sometimes things would get more physical; beatings on the playground or after school happened regularly.

When the uprising in Syria turned violent, Logal said he wanted to leave as soon as possible because he couldn’t stand the idea of serving in the army and fighting against his own people. But almost equally important, he said, was a chance to find sexual freedom and acceptance.