Latest attack on Iraq's LGBTQ: Govt criminalises same-sex relationship with maximum 15-year jail term
Representative image of LGBTQ flags.
Iraq on Saturday (Apr 27) passed a law that would criminalise same-sex relationshipswith a maximum 15-year prison sentence.Thiswas the latest attack on the LGBTQ community in the country. A report by the news agency Reuters said that the law, passed by parliament, aims to protect the Iraqi societyfrom moral depravity and the calls for homosexuality that have overtaken the world.
The Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexuality bans same-sex relations with at least10years and a maximum of 15 years in prisonand mandatesat least seven years inprisonfor anybody who promotes homosexuality or prostitution. The law also imposesone and three years in prison for anyone who changes their "biological gender" or wilfully dresses in an effeminate manner.
Law condemned by rights advocates
The law was condemned by rights advocates.Speaking to Reuters,Rasha Younes, deputy director of the LGBT rights programme at Human Rights Watch, said that the law rubber-stamped "Iraq's appalling record of rights violations against LGBT people and is a serious blow to fundamental human rights."
Untilthe law was passedon Saturday,Iraq didn't explicitly criminalise gay sex.However,loosely defined morality clauses in its penal code havebeen usedto target LGBT people, and members of the community have also been killed by armed groups and individuals.
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Law initially includeddeathpenalty
The Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexualityinitiallyincluded the death penaltyfor same-sex actsbut wasamended before being passed after strong opposition from the United States (US) and European countries.
The lawwas backed mainly by conservative Shi'ite Muslim parties.Shi'ite Muslim parties and othermajorparties in Iraq had steppedup their criticism of LGBTQ rightslast year,with rainbow flags frequently being burned in protests.
(With inputs from agencies)