Iraq imposes 15-year jail term on Same Sex relationships

Iraq’s parliament has approved a law criminalizing same-sex relationships, imposing a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The move, purportedly aimed at upholding religious values, has drawn condemnation from rights advocates who see it as another assault on the LGBT community in Iraq.

The legislation, titled the Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexuality, is intended to “protect Iraqi society from moral depravity and the calls for homosexuality that have overtaken the world,” according to a copy of the law obtained by Reuters.

Primarily supported by conservative Shi’ite Muslim parties, which constitute the largest coalition in Iraq’s predominantly Muslim parliament, the law imposes severe penalties for same-sex relations, ranging from a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Additionally, individuals who promote homosexuality or prostitution face a mandatory seven years behind bars. The law also criminalizes changing one’s “biological gender” or dressing in an effeminate manner, carrying sentences of one to three years in prison.

Initially, the bill included provisions for the death penalty for same-sex acts but was amended before passage due to strong opposition from the United States and European nations.

Prior to this law, Iraq did not explicitly criminalize gay sex, though vaguely worded morality clauses in its penal code had been utilized to target LGBT individuals. Moreover, members of the LGBT community have faced violence from armed groups and individuals.

Rasha Younes, deputy director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch, criticized the Iraqi parliament’s decision, describing it as a “serious blow to fundamental human rights” and a confirmation of Iraq’s troubling record of rights violations against LGBT people.