Passage of harsh anti-LGBTQ law in Iraq draws diplomatic backlash
- US State Department said law ‘threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society’ while UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron called the law ‘dangerous’
- Law imposes jail terms of up to 15 years for same-sex relations and prison terms of up to 3 years for those who undergo gender-transition surgeries
Human rights groups and diplomats criticised a law that was quietly passed by the Iraqi parliament over the weekend that would impose heavy prison sentences on gay and transgender people.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement that the law passed on Saturday “threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society” and “can be used to hamper free-speech and expression”. He warned that the legislation could drive away foreign investment.
“International business coalitions have already indicated that such discrimination in Iraq will harm business and economic growth in the country,” the statement said.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron called the law “dangerous and worrying”.
Although homosexuality is taboo in the largely conservative Iraqi society, and political leaders have periodically launched anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns, Iraq did not previously have a law that explicitly criminalised it.
