Prostitution laws in Iraqالعراق
Iraq prohibits prostitution under the Anti-Prostitution Law No. 8 of 1988 as amended in 2024. Prostitution is now defined as repeated zina with more than one person, with or without payment, and anyone who engages in it faces imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine of IQD 3 to 5 million; before 2024 a woman was instead placed in a reform home for three months to two years. Pimps, people who own or manage a brothel and venue operators who use people in prostitution to attract customers face up to seven years and a fine of IQD 5 to 10 million. Promoting prostitution by any means carries at least seven years and IQD 10 to 15 million. The 2024 amendment, which also criminalises same-sex relations, requires the communications regulator to block indecent material. In the Kurdistan Region the amendment needs the regional parliament's approval.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
The Anti-Prostitution Law No. 8 of 1988, renamed the Law on Combating Prostitution and Sexual Deviance by its 2024 amendment (Law No. 15 of 2024), prohibits prostitution and punishes anyone who engages in it with up to seven years' imprisonment or a fine. No provision targets clients. Pimping, brothels and promoting prostitution are crimes. The 2024 amendment does not apply in the Kurdistan Region unless the Kurdistan Parliament adopts it.[1][2]
Regional differences
- Kurdistan Region Selling and buying prohibited: The Kurdish parliament's legal adviser stated in May 2024 that the amendments do not apply in the Kurdistan Region until the Kurdistan Parliament votes to activate them; no such vote was found. How the original 1988 law is applied in the Region was not checked.[3]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Anyone who engages in prostitution is punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine of IQD 3 to 5 million (Art. 4 as replaced in 2024). Prostitution is defined as repeated zina with more than one person, with or without payment (Art. 1). Before 2024, a woman proven to have engaged in prostitution was placed in a reform home for three months to two years.[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | Neither the 1988 law nor its 2024 amendment contains an offence aimed at clients; the offences target the person who engages in prostitution, pimps, brothel keepers and promoters.[1][2] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Owning or managing a brothel, defined as a place set aside for prostitution or sexual deviance or for facilitating them, carries imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of IQD 5 to 10 million, and the property used is confiscated (Art. 3 as replaced in 2024).[2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Pimping (samsara) covers mediating between two people to facilitate prostitution, including incitement and exploiting another's prostitution with or without consent. A pimp or accomplice, and a venue operator who uses people in prostitution to attract customers, face up to seven years and IQD 5 to 10 million (Art. 3). Holding a person for prostitution by deception or force: up to ten years, fifteen under 18 (Art. 5).[2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Promoting prostitution or homosexuality by any means, or assisting in it in any way, is punishable by at least seven years' imprisonment and a fine of IQD 10 to 15 million, and any means used for the promotion is confiscated (Art. 6(2), added in 2024). Organisations that promote prostitution are banned (Art. 2(4)).[2][4] |
| Online platforms and ad sites | Illegal Criminal offence | The 2024 amendment obliges the Communications and Media Commission and the Ministry of Communications to take the necessary measures to prevent the promotion of homosexuality and the publication of pornographic or indecent material (Art. 2(5)). A site hosting sex-work ads would be exposed to the offence of promoting prostitution by any means or assisting in it (Art. 6(2)).[2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Anyone who engages in prostitution is punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine of IQD 3 to 5 million (Art. 4 as replaced in 2024). Prostitution is defined as repeated zina with more than one person, with or without payment (Art. 1). Before 2024, a woman proven to have engaged in prostitution was placed in a reform home for three months to two years.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. The official gazette and the Iraqi legal databases could not be opened. The 2024 wording is taken from the text as passed by parliament, published by Ultra Iraq, and the 1988 wording from the Dorar Al-Iraq reproduction of the gazette text. The 2025 correction notice to Law No. 15 of 2024 was not examined.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Neither the 1988 law nor its 2024 amendment contains an offence aimed at clients; the offences target the person who engages in prostitution, pimps, brothel keepers and promoters.[1][2]
Confidence: low. The law applies the Penal Code's general rules on participation (Art. 8), and the Penal Code was not checked for offences that could reach clients, such as adultery. Treat 'legal' as 'no specific offence found'.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Owning or managing a brothel, defined as a place set aside for prostitution or sexual deviance or for facilitating them, carries imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of IQD 5 to 10 million, and the property used is confiscated (Art. 3 as replaced in 2024).[2]
Confidence: medium. Wording from the text as passed by parliament; the gazette text could not be opened.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Pimping (samsara) covers mediating between two people to facilitate prostitution, including incitement and exploiting another's prostitution with or without consent. A pimp or accomplice, and a venue operator who uses people in prostitution to attract customers, face up to seven years and IQD 5 to 10 million (Art. 3). Holding a person for prostitution by deception or force: up to ten years, fifteen under 18 (Art. 5).[2]
Confidence: medium. Wording from the text as passed by parliament; the gazette text could not be opened.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Promoting prostitution or homosexuality by any means, or assisting in it in any way, is punishable by at least seven years' imprisonment and a fine of IQD 10 to 15 million, and any means used for the promotion is confiscated (Art. 6(2), added in 2024). Organisations that promote prostitution are banned (Art. 2(4)).[2][4]
Confidence: medium. Wording from the text as passed by parliament; the gazette text could not be opened.
Checked 30 October 2026
Online platforms and ad sites
The 2024 amendment obliges the Communications and Media Commission and the Ministry of Communications to take the necessary measures to prevent the promotion of homosexuality and the publication of pornographic or indecent material (Art. 2(5)). A site hosting sex-work ads would be exposed to the offence of promoting prostitution by any means or assisting in it (Art. 6(2)).[2]
Confidence: low. Applying Art. 6(2) to ad-site operators is our reading of the text; no prosecution was checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| قانون مكافحة البغاء رقم 8 لسنة 1988 Anti-Prostitution Law No. 8 of 1988 Arts. 1-5 | Prohibits prostitution and pimping, punishes pimps and brothel keepers and, in its original form, placed women in prostitution in reform homes.[1] | |
| حظر "الشذوذ وتبادل الزوجات".. نص تعديل قانون "مكافحة البغاء" في العراق Law No. 15 of 2024, First Amendment to the Anti-Prostitution Law No. 8 of 1988 Arts. 1-8 (new numbering) | Renamed the law, redefined prostitution without a payment requirement, replaced reform-home placement with imprisonment or a fine, added the offence of promoting prostitution and criminalised same-sex relations.[2] | 1 July 2024 |
Timeline
- 1988The Anti-Prostitution Law No. 8 of 1988 replaces the 1958 law, prohibiting prostitution and pimping.[1]
- April 2024The Council of Representatives passes the first amendment to the Anti-Prostitution Law, renaming it the Law on Combating Prostitution and Sexual Deviance.[2][4]
- 27 June 2024President Abdul Latif Rashid ratifies the amendment and sends it for publication in the official gazette.[4]
- 1 July 2024Law No. 15 of 2024 is published in Al-Waqa'i al-Iraqiya, issue 4781, and enters into force.[5]
Sources
- قانون مكافحة البغاء رقم 8 لسنة 1988 (Anti-Prostitution Law No. 8 of 1988 (reproduction of the gazette text)). Dorar Al-Iraq, Iraqi laws and legislation database, 1988. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- حظر "الشذوذ وتبادل الزوجات".. نص تعديل قانون "مكافحة البغاء" في العراق (Text of the amendment to the Anti-Prostitution Law in Iraq). Ultra Iraq (Ultra Sawt), 2024. news · accessed 30 October 2026
- Iraq's anti-LGBT+ law not applicable to Kurdistan Region: Advisor. Rudaw, 7 May 2024. news · accessed 30 October 2026
- Iraqi president ratifies controversial anti-LGBTQ+ law. Rudaw, 27 June 2024. news · accessed 30 October 2026
- صدر العدد (4781) من جريدة الوقائع العراقية بتاريخ 2024/7/1 (Issue 4781 of the Iraqi Gazette published on 1 July 2024). Ministry of Justice of Iraq, 1 July 2024. government · accessed 30 October 2026