The law came out  in a political environment that is hostile towards LGBTQ+ individuals, intensified by social media campaigns targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has become a tool for political maneuvering and one-upmanship among various Shiite factions and movements, including those aligned with Iran and the followers of Shiite leader Muqtada Al Sadr.

On April 27, the Iraqi Parliament passed a law criminalizing same-sex relationships. The law was supported by the Coordination Framework in parliament. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, condemned the law as a reflection of “Iraq's horrific record" towards the LGBTQ+ community and called for its repeal.

The law was enacted amid an environment that is politically charged against LGBTQ+ individuals, and was accompanied by social media campaigns targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has become a tool for political maneuvering and one-upmanship among various Shiite factions and movements, including those aligned with Iran and the followers of Shiite leader Muqtada Al Sadr.

Arabi Facts Hub had revealed the nature and activity of these campaigns throughout 2022 and 2023. Following the law's passage, pro-Iranian forces launched a supportive campaign to defend and promote the legislation, utilizing fake accounts to amplify their message.

What happened?

The Iraqi Parliament passed the "Anti-Prostitution and Homosexuality" bill, introduced on August 15, 2023, by independent MP Raed Al Maliki, who is backed by pro-Iranian Shiite forces, to amend the "Anti-Prostitution Law" No. 8 of 1988. Al Maliki claims the legislation aims to protect Iraqi society from deviation. The law imposes a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years for same-sex relationships, replacing the initial draft's penalties of death or life imprisonment. It also includes a seven-year prison sentence and fines for "promoting homosexuality," that are no less than ten million Iraqi dinars (approximately $7,600). Additionally, the law imposes a one to three-year prison sentence for anyone who changes their gender and any doctor who performs "biological sex changes based on personal desires and inclinations." The same penalties apply to "effeminacy" and cross-dressing.

Meanwhile, electronic factions affiliated with various Iraqi Shiite groups launched hashtags on "X" (formerly Twitter), including #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality, #RomanowskiThePimp, and #AmbassadorOfShame. The latter two hashtags targeted the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski.

The first hashtag garnered the most posts, totaling 16,113 tweets, generating at least 20,800 interactions, and viewed approximately 238,000 times, with a potential additional reach of 7 million views, according to Meltwater, a leading tool for analyzing hashtags on X.

Periods of Activity for the Hashtag #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality – Meltwater

There were 14,500 posts from accounts with unknown locations, suggesting inauthentic activity driven by fake accounts. Among the known geographical locations, Iraq led with at least 1,200 posts, followed by Lebanon with 94 posts, Iran with 59 posts, the United States with 51 posts, and Yemen with 34 posts.

According to an analysis of the hashtag's posts, 75.7% (12,200 posts) expressed negative sentiment about homosexuality and LGBTQ+ individuals. Positive comments accounted for 6.4% (1,000 posts), while neutral comments made up 17.6% (2,800 posts). Negative posts also criticized the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, with some calling for her expulsion.

The most influential 

Several posts received hundreds of interactions after being shared by accounts with thousands or even tens of thousands of followers. Among the most influential accounts in the hashtag #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality, and those with the highest engagement, are the following:

@ahmadabdulsada, @PMF313Qm, @bas_irra, @BnT_Al_ansar, @ahmadsayaddager, @ali_313ali0, @Amo2o1, @VAZvoOWBK3OJNRl, @amna2004k, @fragranc313, @RussiaArabic0, @zony97, @ALnajafi5050, @alawy_313, @UmKrar313, @Zahraa5t, @almuswia24, @jihad_alsadee, @adal1247.

At the forefront is the account of poet Ahmad Abdulsada, known for his support of Iran-aligned forces, his inflammatory rhetoric, and his participation in numerous pro-Iranian online campaigns.

Also prominent were the accounts "Nawras Muhajir" (Immigrant Seagull) and "Ibn Al-Junoub,"(Son of the South) known for their incitement and involvement in Iran-related campaigns.

14 Tweet per minute

A total of 1,875 accounts participated in the wave of posts using the hashtag #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality, but not all were managed by real people. Many accounts showed signs of being fake, such as unnatural activity and synchronized posting. For example, the account @alIraqi411990 posted 14 tweets at 11:08 PM on April 28 (Iraq time), all within seven minutes. These 14 tweets were part of a total of 97 tweets, containing only the hashtag and sequential numbering for the tweets, which is a posting rate that is unrealistic for real users. This pattern is common in online campaigns in the Arab region, especially in Iraq, where meaningless characters or symbols are often used. Such practices are typical of fake accounts aiming to amplify hashtags and push them to trend on "X" quickly. 

Similar behavior was observed in accounts like @bs8124557522839, @fmsmylbrhym1, @lwrdhlm71421155, @AlmhndsTyar, @FfFf893461, @abwhmwdy895108, @gzwn187066, @ads_awe31663, @OmFatima678145, @shmr23991, @NcNc785056, @iS8df8tXbp93259.

Most of these accounts were created in November and December 2023, with the latest ones established in April, such as @HFlyh70225 and @Mustafaali75457.

Notably, many lack profile pictures, while others feature images of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, former PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) deputy head Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, and logos of the PMF, Badr Organization, and Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba. These accounts often do not specify their geographic location, a common trait of fake accounts. They also have low follower counts relative to their high posting rates, and their tweets contain identical content.

The network of fake accounts participating in the anti-LGBTQ+ campaign follow each other. For instance, we observed that Hani Al Abidi, the media officer of the 21st Brigade in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), follows the account @mjtby195924, which is suspected of being a fake account involved in the campaign. Other accounts, such as @iS8df8tXbp93259, also suspected of being fake, follow prominent figures like Ahmed Abdulsada, the PMF Directorate, and Al ‘Ahd TV, which is affiliated with Iran-aligned factions.

Telegram channels

Iraqi Telegram channels spearheaded the campaign using the hashtags #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality and #TheAmbassadorOfShame. These channels have been involved in previous disinformation and trolling campaigns. They often express the views of Iran-backed Shiite factions and promote Tehran's policies in the region, as revealed in earlier investigations by the Arabi Facts Hub. Among these influential channels are "Hashd Tweet," "Trend Kwarir Al Hashd," and "Shahd Al Yasiri," each with tens of thousands of subscribers on Telegram.

On Sunday, April 28, the channel "Trend Kwarir Al Hashd" reported that the hashtag #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality was trending on X  in Iraq, with 12,000 tweets. The channel also noted the trending status of #AmericaRevolts and concluded the post with, "Bless your efforts, media front heroes, for your participation with us."

Last summer, the same channels launched the hashtag #AmericaTheNationOfHomosexuality, which garnered 17,260 posts. Arabi Facts Hub investigated the hashtag's emergence within a regional climate of incitement against the LGBTQ+ community, involving electronic factions from various Shiite groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.

Screenshots documenting "Trend Qawareer Al Hashd" channel's promotion of the hashtag #AmericaTheNationOfHomosexuality – June 2023

The hashtag #AmericaTheNationOfHomosexuality appeared on images repeatedly shared under the hashtag #TheWestSupportsHomosexuality. These images compared the Iranian Supreme Leader with U.S. President Joe Biden.

Campaign against the Progress Party

Amid the wave of support for the Anti-Prostitution and Homosexuality Law, accounts affiliated with Shiite factions attacked the Progress Party (Taqadam), led by Mohammed Al Halbousi, former Speaker of Parliament who was dismissed by a Supreme Federal Court decision in November for allegedly forging official documents. The attacks were based on previous statements by Al Halbousi, where he expressed his opposition to the law due to potential international repercussions for Iraq. He stated, "We do not need a law to criminalize an abomination that Iraqi society already rejects," according to his remarks.

The attack included the spread of disinformation, such as an image with the caption: "Urgent: The Progress Party responds to today's Parliament decision to combat prostitution. Through (Progress Girls), it supports homosexuality and female nudity, claiming that is freedom. This is not freedom; it is nudity. The photo is from the Ramadi Corniche today."

However, the "Tech for Peace" initiative, which focuses on fact-checking news in Iraq, clarified that the image had been altered using photo editing tools.