Iraq passes Law No. 14 — same-sex relations now criminalized 10–15 years

On Saturday April 27, 2024, the Iraqi Council of Representatives passed Law No. 14, the “Law on Combating Prostitution and Homosexuality” (قانون مكافحة البغاء والمثلية الجنسية). It is the first time Iraq has explicitly criminalized same-sex relations in its modern legal code.

What the law says

• Same-sex relations: 10–15 years imprisonment for individuals; up to 15 years for owners/managers of establishments where same-sex acts occur.
• “Promotion of homosexuality”: up to 7 years and a fine of 10–15 million IQD. The term is undefined in the text and could include online posts, journalism, advocacy, or even possession of LGBTQ+ symbols.
• Gender-affirming medical procedures (described as “biological sex change for non-medical reasons”): up to 3 years imprisonment for the patient and up to 3 years for the doctor performing the procedure.
• “Effeminacy of men”: the original draft included 1–3 years for “intentional effeminacy”; the final passed text reportedly retained a similar provision in modified form.

The law was passed by a vote conducted with little advance notice; some MPs reported they had not seen the final text before voting.

Practical implications

• Increased risk of prosecution. Before this law, prosecutions of LGBTQ+ Iraqis used vague “public morality” provisions of the 1969 Penal Code. The new law gives prosecutors and police a clear, severe statute.
• Online enforcement risk. “Promotion” is broad enough to capture social media activity, journalism, and advocacy. Even retweeting or sharing LGBTQ+ content may now be chargeable.
• Healthcare risk. Doctors who provide gender-affirming care now face criminal liability. Trans Iraqis who relied on quiet HRT prescriptions may find that source closed.
• Foreign organizations and NGOs working on LGBTQ+ rights inside Iraq face direct legal exposure under the “promotion” clause.

International response

• United States: Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the law “a serious threat” to vulnerable Iraqis and “inconsistent with the protections of fundamental human rights.”
• United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary David Cameron condemned the law as “dangerous and worrying.”
• European Union: Issued a statement condemning the law and calling for its repeal.
• United Nations: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed alarm.
• Human Rights Watch: Called the law “a blatant violation of fundamental human rights” and urged immediate repeal.

These statements have not produced legal change inside Iraq.

What you should do

If you are inside Iraq:

1. Audit your phone. Review your saved photos, message history, dating app installations, and browser history. See our digital safety guide for the practical checklist.
2. Audit your social media. Public posts that pre-date the law could now be cited as evidence. Consider archiving and removing public LGBTQ+ posts on accounts tied to your real identity.
3. Be more cautious about apps. Grindr, Hornet, and similar apps are higher-risk under the new law. If you use them, do so on a clean device behind a VPN, with an account not linked to your real phone number or identity.
4. Reconsider asylum if you were thinking about it. The new law strengthens asylum claims for LGBTQ+ Iraqis abroad. See our FAQ on asylum.
5. Stay connected. Encrypted community channels (XMPP, Signal) become more important as the law tightens. See Community.

The law is now in force. Enforcement is uneven so far, but the legal framework is in place and can be used against any LGBTQ+ Iraqi at any time.