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LGBT Rights in Arbil Province

Arbil is governed by federal Iraq law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    Ambiguous
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (1-year deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✖ Unequal

Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in Arbil

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Homosexual activity in Arbil is ambiguous.

Current status
Since Jul 19, 1969
Ambiguous
Even though Iraq's Criminal Code doesn't mention homosexuality in its penal code, Articles such as 401 in the penal code can be used against LGBT community.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Current status
Since 1969
Ambiguous
In Iraq, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) individuals are subject to widespread discrimination. Openly gay men are not permitted to serve in the military and same-sex marriage or civil unions are illegal.[3] LGBT people do not have any legal protections against discrimination and are frequently victims of vigilante justice and honor killings.[3]
Sources:
un.org/fr/
Added by l_hrz  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Arbil

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Same-sex marriage in Arbil is unrecognized.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2003
Unrecognized
Same-sex relationships are not recognized in Iraq.
Added by danlev  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Arbil

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Censorship of LGBT Issues in Arbil 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.
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Arbil

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Right to change legal gender in Arbil is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.

Current status
Since Oct 29, 2018
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.
Added by JuliaB  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Oct 29, 2018
Ambiguous
Unknown. Missing non binary options on documents.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Arbil

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Arbil is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
No recognition in Iraq
Added by GeorgieTheOrgie  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Arbil

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LGBT discrimination in Arbil 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."
Added by danlev  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Arbil

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LGBT employment discrimination in Arbil 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."
Added by danlev  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Arbil

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LGBT housing discrimination in Arbil 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."
Added by danlev  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Arbil

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Same-sex adoption in Arbil is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
No other laws in place.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Arbil

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Serving openly in military in Arbil is illegal.

Current status
Since 2007
Illegal
The Military penal law No. 19 2007 prohibits its men from engaging Homosexual acts.
Added by Muhammadaji2022  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Arbil

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Blood donations by MSMs in Arbil is banned (1-year deferral).

Current status
Banned (1-year deferral)
Under recent changes.
Sources:
www.militaryblood.dod.mil/Donors/can_i_donate.aspx
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Arbil

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Conversion therapy in Arbil is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
No protections
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Arbil

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Equal age of consent in Arbil is unequal.

Current status
Since 1969
Unequal
According to the Iraq Penal Code of 1969, the age of consent is 18, however, this only applies to heterosexual sex.
Added by danlev  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 1969–Sep 7, 2018
Equal
Set age of Consent for heterosexual and lgbt people.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log