- Homosexuals in Iraq could end up in prison for up to 15 years in the future.
- The country’s parliament has passed a law criminalizing same-sex relationships.
- The USA criticizes the parliamentary decision in Iraq: the law endangers human rights.
The new case law concerns the prostitution law. Anyone who enters into consensual homosexual relationships can therefore be imprisoned for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 years. Anyone who promotes homosexuality “in any way” faces at least seven years in prison and a fine of the equivalent of around 7,000 to 10,000 francs. Activities by organizations that promote homosexuality will also be banned in Iraq in the future. An older amendment proposed the death penalty for same-sex sex.
The acting speaker of parliament, Mohsen al-Mandalaui, defended the law in its new version. It is a crucial step to “defend the structure of moral values in society,” said Al-Mandalaui. The aim is also to “protect our children from the reputation of moral corruption and homosexuality”.
Same-sex sex was not previously explicitly punished in Iraq. However, the authorities used vague moral laws to prosecute members of the LGBT community.
NGOs criticize the change in the law
In August, when the amendment was introduced in parliament, the organization Human Rights Watch complained about “hostile rhetoric” towards sexual minorities from members of the government and a suppression of the work of human rights organizations in the country.
“This new law threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society. It can be used to suppress free expression and restrict the work of non-governmental organizations throughout the country,” the US State Department said in a statement.
Legend:
On April 15, 2024, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington.
Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office/Handout via REUTERS
“We are moving into a world where being your true self is a crime,” said IraQueer, one of the only LGBT organizations in Iraq. “The passage of this law will ruin the lives of many now and in the future. Young Iraqis will be hunted down and the government will throw them in prison without any basis or worse.”
Iraq expert Ras Salaji from the human rights organization Amnesty International spoke of an “absolutely appalling” development. Iraq “codifies discrimination against the LGBT community,” wrote Salaji at X. The change to the more than 30-year-old prostitution law is a “vehement attack on fundamental human rights.”