HRW accuses Iraq of escalating human rights abuses with restrictive laws

Shafaq News/ Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Iraqi government of intensifying human rights abuses in 2024 through the introduction and enforcement of restrictive laws, according to the organization’s 2025 World Report.

The report, a comprehensive 546-page document assessing human rights practices in over 100 countries, highlighted legislative developments in Iraq that HRW claims undermine freedoms and escalate violations. Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at HRW, stated that Iraq had an opportunity to enact structural reforms to enhance fundamental rights and maintain the country's relative stability. Instead, she said, “The authorities appeared determined to introduce legislation that erodes freedoms, increases executions, and suppresses dissent.”

Among the most contentious proposals was an amendment to the Personal Status Law, which seeks to grant religious authorities oversight of marriage and inheritance, bypassing state law. HRW warned that if enacted, this amendment would severely undermine women’s and girls’ rights, allowing child marriage for girls as young as nine and weakening protections related to divorce and inheritance.

In April 2024, the Iraqi Parliament passed an amendment to the Anti-Prostitution Law, imposing severe penalties on LGBTQ+ individuals and those associated with gender-affirming practices. The amendment prescribes long prison terms for same-sex relationships, criminalizes gender-affirming medical procedures, and levies heavy fines and imprisonment for vague charges like promoting homosexuality.

HRW also criticized the Iraqi government for significantly increasing the number of unlawful executions in 2024. These executions were often carried out without notifying the families or lawyers of those executed, and HRW highlighted credible allegations of torture and violations of fair trial standards as part of the judicial process.

The conclusion of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh [ISIS] (UNITAD) in September 2024 has further complicated Iraq’s human rights landscape. Survivors now face uncertainty over the future of ISIS accountability. HRW flagged unresolved issues, including the preservation of evidence collected by UNITAD, the opening of mass graves, ensuring the return of displaced persons, and providing compensation for property destroyed during the conflict.

In its report, HRW called on the Iraqi government to reject the proposed amendment to the Personal Status Law to safeguard the rights of women and girls. The organization also urged the repeal of the anti-LGBTQ+ law, a halt to discriminatory practices, and the suspension of executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty. HRW emphasized that such measures are essential to reversing the erosion of human rights in Iraq and fulfilling the country’s obligations under international law.