The Iraqi parliament has passed a law that criminalizes same-sex relationships and carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
According to the Law on the Suppression of Prostitution and Homosexuality, same-sex relations are prohibited and a sentence of at least 10 and a maximum of 15 years in prison is provided, while a minimum of seven years in prison is prescribed for anyone who promotes homosexuality or prostitution.
The law provides for a sentence of one to three years in prison for anyone who changes their gender or deliberately dresses in a feminine way.
The new law, which aims to protect Iraqi society from the moral depravity and calls for homosexuality that have taken over the world, was backed by the mainly conservative Shiite Muslim parties that form the largest coalition in the parliament of mainly Muslim Iraq.
The bill originally included the death penalty for same-sex acts, but it was amended before it was passed after strong opposition from the US and some European countries.
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