Iraqi Politicians Condemn The Raising Of The Rainbow Flag For International Day Against Homophobia
Political leaders are calling for the expulsion of diplomats after a number of embassies in Iraq rose the rainbow flag in honour of International Day Against Homophobia.
The European Union, the World Bank and the Canadian and UK embassies all raised the flag on Sunday, the day that commemorates the day when the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed the designation of homosexuality as a mental illness, in 1990.
Although homosexuality is not illegal in the country of Iraq, the country’s politicians “slammed” the embassies’ decision. On Sunday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that homosexuality went against “the noble morals of all divine religions" and said all missions in Iraq had to "adhere by the laws of the country, and to follow diplomatic norms”.
Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who had previously claimed that the coronavirus pandemic was a punishment sent by God in response to LGBT+ marriage equality, joined in the fray, condemning homosexuality as a "mental illness" and calling for Iraqi embassies in European countries to raise the flags of Muhammad and Jesus in response.
The ‘Middle East Eye’ reports that the hashtag #No_to_LGBT_flag_in_Iraq trended on Twitter, particularly among supporters of Sadr. Trending was also a photograph of a rainbow flag being burned. Some said the move had insulted Islamic values by being raised during the month of Ramadan.
Amir Ashour, executive director of the IraQueer organisation, which pushes for LGBT rights in Iraq, said in response to the incidents that the political leaders were wrong to brand homosexuality as alien to Iraq.
“We believe that diversity exists everywhere. The recognition of the LGBT+ community in Iraq, an important and valuable part of the society, is not a western export,” he said.
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