Bill To Ban Homosexuality In Iraq Resubmitted to Parliament
July 5, 2023A renewed effort to pass legislation prohibiting homosexuality has emerged in Iraq’s parliament, gaining traction following a previous unsuccessful attempt in 2022. This development aligns with the recent advocacy for such a ban by influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The proposed bill, presented by Mortada Al-Saadi, the deputy head of the Committee on Legal Affairs in Baghdad’s federal parliament, has been officially submitted to the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Mohamed al-Halbousi, according to ‘Ekurd Daily’. Al-Saadi’s letter, delivered on Monday, urges the Speaker to include the bill in the upcoming legislative agenda scheduled for September.
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The introduction of this bill by Iraqi lawmakers follows Muqtada al-Sadr’s recent announcement of plans to mobilise millions of Iraqi citizens, rallying them to support a ban on homosexuality within the country. Additionally, he has called upon educational institutions to raise awareness about this phenomenon.
In 2022, Iraqi and Kurdish authorities vehemently criticized the display of the rainbow flag, which symbolises the rights and recognition of non-binary genders LGBT+, at several foreign missions in Baghdad to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
In June 2023, a license of Rasan NGO organization defending women’s and LGBTQ+ rights revoked in Iraqi Kurdistan.
In 2022, within Duhok governorate, Doski Azad, a young Kurdish transgender woman, was killed by her own brother. The US government has unequivocally condemned this act of violence and has urged authorities to ensure that those accountable are held responsible and brought to justice.
As per activists, the LGBTQ+ community in Iraq and Kurdistan region has endured persistent feelings of insecurity. Recent measures by Islamist parties, combined with a ruling that undermines LGBTQ+ rights, have sparked significant apprehension among community members. The prevailing hostile environment has resulted in a considerable number of individuals choosing to leave the country, either out of fear for their safety or in search of a haven where their fundamental human rights are recognised and upheld.
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