Iraq - April 2024

On 27 April, Iraq’s unicameral legislature, the House of Representatives, passed a law that severely restricts the rights of LGBTQIA+ people in the country. In wording that has been criticised for being vague and overly broad, The Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexuality criminalises homosexuality for the first time in Iraq, prescribing a 10-to-15-year prison sentence for a person who engages in homosexual sex. It bans the promotion of homosexuality, prohibiting the activities of NGOs advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights. It also targets transgender people, criminalising those who undergo gender change procedures based on ‘desire and inclination’, as well as those who conduct such procedures. While homosexuality was not previously outlawed in Iraq, the LGBTQIA+ community has been prosecuted under morality laws and is subject to frequent violence and discrimination. Under the constitution, the Law will be considered ratified 15 days after it has been sent to the president by the legislature.

Sources: Shafaq News, British Broadcasting Corporation, The Guardian, Library of Congress, Constitution of Iraq