Iraq's new law punishes same-sex relationships with 15 years in prison

Iraq's parliament passed a bill on Saturday that would make same-sex relationships punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Amendments to the 1988 Anti-Prostitution Act meant that transgender people could also be sentenced to three years in prison.

The bill was adopted during a session attended by 170 out of 329 members.

An earlier draft proposed the death penalty for same-sex relationships.

However, new amendments allow courts to sentence people to 10 to 15 years in prison.

It also imposed a minimum sentence of seven years in prison for those who “facilitated” same-sex relationships, and one to three years for men who “deliberately” acted like women.

The revised law criminalizes “biological sex change based on individual wishes or inclinations,'' and punishes transgender people and doctors who perform gender reassignment surgery with up to three years in prison.

Source: dailypost.ng