In Iraq, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) individuals are subject to criminal penalties under the 2024 law making homosexual relations punishable by up to 15 years in prison with fines and deportation; the 2024 law also criminalizes and makes punishable by prison time promoting homosexuality, doctors performing gender-affirming surgery, and men deliberately acting like women.[4] Discrimination is also widespread. Openly gay men are not permitted to serve in the military and same-sex marriage or civil unions are illegal.[5] LGBT people do not have any legal protections against discrimination and are frequently victims of vigilante justice and honor killings.[5]
Following British occupation of Iraq, very strict sodomy laws were put in place. These laws allowed discrimination, harassment, and murders of members within the Iraqi LGBT community. Once Iraqi independence was achieved, these laws still remained. In recent years, leaders within Iraq have spoken out about reducing sodomy laws within the country. Regardless of the reduced laws, discrimination, harassment, and murders of LGBT community members still persist.
The Iraq government has maintained an anti-LGBT stance since gaining independence in 1932 where homosexuality was officially banned.[6] This would be expanded in the IRCC Resolution 234 of 2001 which would punish sodomy, or any homosexual act, with the death penalty.[6] Due to harsh stigma against people who are LGBT, many activist organizations find themselves at a crossroads of whether to focus on building tolerance in Iraq, or instead focusing on ensuring safety or asylum for the LGBT communities.[7]
In 2024, there were plans to make homosexual relations in Iraq punishable by up to death but the law was revised before being quietly passed later that year to lower the punishment to 15 years in jail[8] with fines and deportation.[4]
^"Iraq criminalises same-sex relationships in new law". Retrieved 2024-04-28.
^Utah, The University of. "Global Justice Project: Iraq » Archive » Homosexuality and the Criminal Law in Iraq: UPDATED". Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
^Ottosson, Daniel (May 2009). "State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults" (PDF). International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-29. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
^ ab"Iraq criminalises same-sex relationships in new law". April 28, 2024 – via www.bbc.com.
^ ab"LGBT Rights in Iraq | Equaldex". www.equaldex.com. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
^ abTARAFDER, AJAY MAJUMDER, RABIN (2019-08-21). A Scientific Aspect of Transgenders. Notion Press. ISBN 9781645875659.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Copeland, Lauren (2014). Academics and activism : a comparative study of contemporary historical writings on same-sex sexuality and LGBT activists in the Middle East (MA thesis). University of Louisville. doi:10.18297/etd/276.
^Kourdi, Nechirvan Mando, Eyad (April 27, 2024). "Same-sex couples face up to 15 years in prison in Iraq's LGBTQ crackdown". CNN.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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