Iraq enacts controversial law against LGBTQ+ with harsh penalties

The Iraqi Parliament passed a law on Saturday penalizing homosexual and transgender relationships with prison sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years, stating it as "a need to support religious values." This law faced criticism from the U.S. State Department and human rights advocates.

The newly implemented law also bans "any actions aimed at promoting homosexuality in Iraq" and imposes a prison sentence of 7 years for such activities.

Moreover, the legislation prohibits "biological gender change on demand," imposing a 3-year prison sentence for doctors or any individuals who carry out such procedures.

This law, which had initially suggested the death penalty for homosexual acts, revises the 1988 Anti-Prostitution Act. It gained approval with the support of 170 deputies out of 329 present during the vote.

The U.S. State Department, in a statement released on Saturday, labelled the new law as "a threat to human rights and freedoms" and highlighted concerns over Iraq’s capacity to diversify its economy and attract foreign investment.

In a similar vein, Amnesty International condemned the legislation as a "violation of basic human rights" within a country where, as they highlighted, sexual minorities are forced to live in secrecy and "citizens face persecution daily".