The Coordination Framework, the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament, on Monday called on the legislature to move forward with the first reading of a proposed amendment to Iraq’s Personal Status Law, which among other things would legalize child marriage, saying it does not contradict “foundations of democracy.”

The Iraqi High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has temporarily suspended the preparations for Kurdistan Region’s elections pending the ruling on a lawsuit filed by the Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani against the division of seats for the constituencies, the body’s spokesperson told Rudaw on Wednesday.

Heteronormativity has always been the prevailing status quo in conservative-majority Iraq, but no legislation had explicitly criminalized same-sex conduct until Saturday when the parliament made several amendments to the country's anti-prostitution law, banning any practice of homosexuality and transsexuality with harsh penalties of up to 15 years in prison.

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