Is the Iraqi government about to criminalize homosexuality?
On July 8, 2022, the Iraqi government’s Parliamentary Legal Committee convened to devise proposals that will target and harm the country’s LGBTQ community. The government is reportedly taking aggressive steps to criminalize homosexuality of any kind.
These are not rumors and this is not a drill. State of Law Coalition MP Aref al-Hamami gave an interview with the Iraqi news agency and said, “It was agreed within the parliament to collect signatures after returning to session to legislate a law prohibiting homosexuality in Iraq.
“[The] legislation of such a law will be reinforced by legal provisions that prevent homosexuality and the perversions associated with it.”
Despite the fact that homosexuality is currently legal in Iraq, the Iraqi government and other conservative groups have taken many steps over the years to persecute the LGBTQ community. These include things like kidnapping, torture, assault, and even death. Law enforcement have used vague policies within the country to legally target LGBTQ community members.
According to a report from Human Rights Watch, in June of 2021, 11 queer people were arrested under a specific penal code which criminalizes public indecency.
Amir Ashour, head of the LGBTQ group IraQueer, took to Twitter to provide detailed context on the issue.
He tweeted “While #LGBT+ Iraqis have been the target of systematic killing campaigns and things are as bad as it gets, this law will allow the government to “legally” get away with murder putting #LGBT+ citizens and those advocating for us in greater danger.”
“This law will be a death sentence to the #LGBT+ movement in Iraq. A movement that young advocates and organizations like @IraQueer have worked on building for 8 years risking our lives and the lives of our loved ones.”
“Some members of the international community have supported #LGBT+ rights in Iraq, however, the international community has generally failed to put enough political pressure on the Iraqi government to make sure that the lives and rights of #LGBT+ Iraqis are protected.”
Ashour is calling for the International community, leaders and human rights activists to stand up and fight for the LGBTQ community in Iraq.
There are no details available at this time as to just how quickly the Iraqi government plans to move on implementing these harmful laws which clearly violate human rights. Watch this space for more information as this dangerous situation unfolds.
