Human Rights in Iraq: Analytical Report 2025-2026

Two decades after the 2003 invasion, the human rights picture in Iraq in 2025-2026 turns on a handful of things: Coordination Framework consolidation, PMF/Popular Mobilisation Forces influence, journalist targeting, honour-based violence, Yazidi/Christian minority persecution, LGBTQ+ criminalisation, protest suppression. It complements our earlier Iraq analytical article with fresh Q2 2026 detail.[1]

Iraq remains one of the most complex human rights contexts globally — democratic elections coexist with militia influence, sectarian violence, honour crimes, and shrinking civic space. Multiple asylum profiles remain strong.

Political Context

Coordination Framework consolidation continues.[2]

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (2022-). Coordination Framework Shia coalition. Sunni political fragmentation. Kurdistan Regional Government tensions with Baghdad. Iranian influence via PMF actors. Continuing US military presence reductions.

Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)

PMF (al-Hashd al-Shaabi) operates as parallel state.[3]

Formalised as state security in 2016. Iranian-aligned components (Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Badr). Assassinations of critics, journalists, activists. Attacks on US bases, protests. Impunity for members. Continuing consolidation 2024-2026.

April 2024 Anti-Homosexuality Law

Parliament passed criminalisation in April 2024.[4]

Amendments to Anti-Prostitution Law of 1988. 10-15 years imprisonment for same-sex relations. Criminalisation of transgender identity (up to 3 years). Fines for promoting homosexuality. Persecution of LGBTQ+ activists. Extrajudicial violence by militias documented.

Honour-Based Violence

Persistent pattern across Iraq.[5]

Article 128 Penal Code — honour "excuse" reducing sentences. Article 130 — honour mitigation. Article 131 — provocation defence. Article 41(1) — husband's right to "discipline" wife. Article 398 — rapist marriage escape (reformed but persists). Kurdistan region 2011 law criminalises honour crimes — implementation weak. Documented honour killings continuing.

Women's Rights

February 2025 Personal Status Law amendment permitting Jaafari (Shia) jurisprudence. Feared reduction of marriage age. Continuing restrictions on freedoms. FGM in Kurdistan region (declining). Forced/child marriage. Employment restrictions.

Ethnic-Religious Minorities

Yazidis

ISIS genocide 2014 continues aftermath.[6]

Sinjar not fully secured. Missing persons. PKK/PMF tensions. Yazidi Female Survivors Law implementation.

Christians

~250,000 remaining (from ~1.5 million pre-2003). Concentrated in Nineveh Plains, Kurdistan. Land expropriation. Discrimination. Chaldean, Assyrian, Syriac communities.

Mandaeans

Highly reduced community. Continuing emigration.

Kaka'i

Small community. ISIS/ISKP threats.

Turkmen

Kirkuk disputed territory. Discrimination.

Journalists

Persistent targeting.[7]

Ahmed Abdel Samad killed 2020 (Basra). Nizar Thanoun killed 2021. Continuing PMF-linked attacks. RSF Iraq press freedom low rankings. CPJ Iraq monitoring. Kurdistan region journalist detentions.

Protest Suppression

Tishreen October 2019 protest movement. 600+ killed by PMF/security forces. Continuing crackdowns on activists. Threats, disappearances documented.

LGBTQ+ Iraqis

April 2024 criminalisation compounded existing persecution. Militia extrajudicial violence documented (IraQueer). "Emo" killings (2012 pattern continuing). Family violence. No state protection.

Strongest Asylum Profiles

UK CG Framework

SMO, KSP and IM (Article 15(c); identity documents) Iraq CG [2019] UKUT 400 — internal relocation and identity documents in Iraq.[8]

AAH (Iraqi Kurds — internal relocation) Iraq CG [2018] UKUT 212.

Return Risk

Internal relocation possible in some cases. Article 15(c) generalised violence considerations vary regionally. CSID/INID documentation required for movement. PMF checkpoints throughout territory. Kurdistan-Federal Iraq tensions.

Iraq human rights context remains extraordinarily complex — democratic institutions coexist with militia parallel state, honour crimes persist in law, minorities face demographic decline, LGBTQ+ criminalisation compounded April 2024. Multiple strong asylum profiles.
UNAMI (UN Assistance Mission for Iraq)

Conclusion

Iraq human rights in 2025-2026 remain in significant crisis across multiple axes — PMF influence, April 2024 LGBTQ+ criminalisation, February 2025 personal status law amendments, journalist targeting, honour violence, minority persecution. Multiple strong asylum profiles 60-85% grant rates. See our companion earlier Iraq analytical article, Iran analytical article, and refugee vs asylum seeker.