LGBT Rights in Baghdad Province

Baghdad is governed by federal Iraq law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Banned
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    Unknown
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    Unknown
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Baghdad

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Homosexual activity in Baghdad is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).

Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
On April 27th, 2024, Iraq's parliament passed a law that criminalizes same-sex relationships with a maximum 15-year prison sentence.
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Jul 19, 1969–Apr 27, 2024
Ambiguous
Iraq's Criminal Code does not explicitly mention homosexuality in its penal code, however certain articles such as article 401 can be used against LGBT community. The article criminalises “immodest acts” in public, and punishable by a period of detention of up to six months and/or a fine.

Same-sex marriage in Baghdad

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Same-sex marriage in Baghdad is unrecognized.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2003
Unrecognized
Same-sex relationships are not recognized in Iraq.
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Baghdad

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Censorship of LGBT issues in Baghdad is imprisonment as punishment.

Current status
Imprisonment as punishment
Not known in Iraqi Kurdistan but LGBT people could be censored in Iraq under extensive public morality law namely , paragraph 215 , 220, 376, 401,402,403,404 and 408 of the Iraqi Penal code.

In August 2023, Iraq banned all media from using term "homosexuality", saying they must use "sexual deviance." The term "gender" was also banned.

Right to change legal gender in Baghdad

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Right to change legal gender in Baghdad is illegal.

Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Illegal
Article 3 of the new bill Iraq’s Parliament passed April 27th, prohibits altering a person's biological sex based on psychological desires, and Article 6 imposes penalties of imprisonment for those attempting or performing such changes.
Oct 29, 2018–Apr 27, 2024
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Person applying for gender change must submit all documents and medical analyzes confirming their request, then their documents are submitted to the Ministry of the Interior, obtain the consent of the minister's office.

Gender-affirming care in Baghdad

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Gender-affirming care in Baghdad is banned.

Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Banned
On April 27th, 2024, the Iraqi Parliament passed the amendment to the Law Against Prostitution and Sexual Deviance. Article 2 of the bill criminalizes "acts of effeminacy," defined as imitating women through actions such as wearing women’s cosmetics or clothes in public, taking hormones to display feminine traits, or any other behavior deemed effeminate by medical and social standards. Offenders could face imprisonment ranging from one to three years or fines between five and ten million dinars. Additionally, Article 3 prohibits altering a person's biological sex based on psychological desires, with Article 6 imposing penalties of imprisonment for those attempting or performing such changes, except in cases of necessary surgical interventions for congenital anomalies.
2008–Apr 27, 2024
Legal
In 2008, Iraq adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
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Until 2008
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Baghdad

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Baghdad is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

LGBT discrimination in Baghdad

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LGBT discrimination in Baghdad is no protections.

Current status
No protections
According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
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LGBT employment discrimination in Baghdad

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LGBT employment discrimination in Baghdad is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no employment discrimination protection for LGBT people in Iraq.

According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
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LGBT housing discrimination in Baghdad

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LGBT housing discrimination in Baghdad is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no housing discrimination protection for LGBT people in Iraq.

According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
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Same-sex adoption in Baghdad

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Same-sex adoption in Baghdad is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Adoption by any person goes against Iraqi law. Guardianship is possible by extended family and close friends of the same religion as the child.

Intersex infant surgery in Baghdad

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Intersex infant surgery in Baghdad is not banned.

Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Not banned
In 2024, a law against Prostitution and Changing Physical Sex characteristics (i.e. gender reassignment surgery) was passed, with the exception added for "congenital anomalies that require surgical intervention to confirm a person's sex”.

Serving openly in military in Baghdad

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Serving openly in military in Baghdad is illegal.

Current status
Since 2007
Illegal
The Military penal law No. 19 2007 prohibits its men from engaging Homosexual acts.
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Blood donations by MSMs in Baghdad

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Blood donations by MSMs in Baghdad is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Conversion therapy in Baghdad

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Conversion therapy in Baghdad is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
No protections
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Equal age of consent in Baghdad

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Equal age of consent in Baghdad is n/a.

Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
N/A
On April 27th, 2024, Iraq's parliament passed a law that criminalizes same-sex relationships. So, the age of consent for homosexual sex is N/A.
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Until Apr 27, 2024
Ambiguous
While the age of consent for non-married couples in Iraq is 18, the laws regarding homosexuality are ambiguous so the age of consent status is also ambiguous.
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