Pope Francis criticized laws criminalizing homosexuality as "unjust," while calling attraction to people of his own sex "a sin," he told The Associated Press.

"Being homosexual isn’t a crime," the pontiff stressed.

The pope acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against members of the LGBT community, and called it a "sin" himself. At the same time, he attributed this attitude to cultural background.

According to Human Dignity Trust cited, some 67 countries or jurisdictions around the world criminalize consensual same-sex relationships, 11 of which may or already have the death penalty.